The F-35 is a true quarterback of the skies due to its unsurpassed interconnectivity capabilities.
The F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet fleet achieved a major milestone this month, after its aircraft exceeded one million total flight hours.
The most advanced stealth fighter jet in the skies, the F-35 Lightning II remains the tip of the spear of the U.S. military’s air power.
One Million Flight Hours for the F-35
Some other interesting numbers about the F-35 Lightning II from the past month: 16 services are currently operating the plane, while 20 countries have entered the program by ordering one or more versions of the stealth fighter jet. To this date, the global F-35 fleet has racked up more than 600,000 operational and training sorties. Also, 36 air bases around the world are certified to host F-35 aircraft—though it is generally understood that the F-35 can operate from anywhere if there is a need. Moreover, 12 warships are qualified to launch F-35s, and the plan is to increase that number to 20 warships within three years.
February was also a busy month for the global F-35 fleet. F-35 aircraft from various countries conducted operational and training deployments across the world, including the Indo-Pacific and Europe. In Alaska, U.S. F-35s intercepted Russian strategic bombers and fighter jets, while in the Arctic Circle, Norwegian F-35s scrambled to deal with incoming Russian aircraft.
“The F-35 serves as the quarterback of the fighting force, ensuring operators dominate the skies of today and tomorrow,” Lockheed Martin wrote about its most advanced fighter jet.
And indeed, the F-35 is a true quarterback of the skies due to its unsurpassed interconnectivity capabilities. Through its powerful sensors, the F-35 is able to “talk” with friendly ground, naval, and air assets and coordinate their actions on the battlespace. That is an invaluable capability that maximizes the situational awareness and lethality of the entire force. And if this were not enough, the F-35 remains a highly capable fighter jet on its own.
All About the F-35 Lightning II
The F-35 Lightning II is a multi-role stealth aircraft and the most advanced fighter jet in the skies today. The aircraft has the iterations: F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C.
The F-35A is the conventional version of the aircraft that operates from traditional runways. The F-35B is the Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing (STOVL) iteration, which can land and take off like a helicopter but still fly like a fighter jet. Finally, the F-35C is the aircraft carrier version.
Out of these versions, the “A” is the most widely used around the world with over 2,000 orders. The “B” version is the second most popular with just over 500 orders. Finally, the “C” iteration is the most exclusive of the all with just 413 orders; the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are also the only services operating the aircraft carrier version of the stealth fighter jet.
In terms of mission sets, the F-35 Lightning II is capable of conducting Air Superiority, Close Air Support, Strategic Attack, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), Destruction of Enemy Air Defense (DEAD), and Electronic Warfare.
However, these capabilities are not cheap. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the F-35 Lightning II is expected to cost as much as $2 trillion throughout the lifetime of the program!
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
