AIRCRAFT PROGRAM

Single-seat, single-engine, multi-role supersonic aircraft for electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Three variants: F-35B - short takeoff/vertical landing, F-35C carrier and F-35A CTOL - designed to operate from conventional runways. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin in partnership with Northrop Grumman (centre fuselage) and BAE Systems (aft fuselage, vertical and horizontal tails).

Airframe is 35% composite and designed to enhance stealth with trapezoidal mid-wing configuration, twin tailfins and internal weapons bay. All-electric flying control systems direct the wing and tailplane leading edges, flaps, rudders and all-moving horizontal tails.

Advanced sensors and mission systems enhance pilot’s situational awareness and communications with AESA radar, EOTS targeting system, Distributed Aperture System (DAS), Helmet Mounted Display (HMD), and the Communications, Navigation and Identification (CNI) Avionics.

Single pilot facing touch screen panoramic main display with speech recognition technology in the glass cockpit. Pilot has a helmet-mounted display system (Vision Systems International) with display in visor of helmet.

Type variants

Variant	Launch/First flight	Production end
Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II	1996 / 2010		Conventional carrier-based variant.
Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II	1996 / 2008		Short take-off and vertical landing variant.
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II	1996 / 2006		Conventional land-based variant, including F-35I Adir for Israel.

Recent news

• 16/06/2026:  Press Release:  Mach Industries awarded DIU contract for Runway Independent Maritime Expeditionary Strike capability
• 04/06/2026:  Press Release:  Montana Aerospace AG subsidiary Asco reaches important milestone in the F-35 program
• 20/05/2026:  Press Release:  Amca closes $300M Series B at $1B+ valuation to strengthen America's critical component supply chain
• 14/05/2026:  Press Release:  Mobix Labs to acquire U.S. rare earth and critical minerals company powering defence and national security
• 14/05/2026:  Press Release:  Israel MOD signs contract with Elbit Systems for extended range capability for the F-35 "Adir" fighter jet

View full news archive for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.

See recent updates (latest 16/06/2026)