The most controversial military aircraft of our days is the F-35 Lightning II. Some claims
that it represents the new era of military aviation while the others accept that it is
a big failure. Some of these claims are right, but many others just exaggeration. As the
Weapon Detective, we are investigating the F-35, the most polemical combat aircraft of
our time. Please don't forget to subscribe to our channel,
before we start and give us a thumbs up if you like our video. To be notified of our
new video, please click the bell button. Undoubtedly, in the first quarter of the 21st
century, the F-35 was the aircraft that occupied the agenda the most. The discussions about
it are on two extremes. To better understand these discussions about the Lightning II,
let's first take a look at the history of the JSF Project.
After the end of the First Cold War, as we call the First Cold War, the US Air Force,
the US Navy, and the US Marine Corps demanded a new fifth-generation light combat aircraft
to replace the fourth-generation A-10, F-16, AV-8B, and F/A-18s in their inventories. The
new flying machine had to fly at supersonic speed without using the afterburner and be
stealth. To answer the different requirements of these
three different forces, it was decided for three versions to be developed; a ground-based
conventional, a ship-based conventional landing/take-off, and a short take-off and vertical landing,
which were 80 per cent common component. The project, now called Joint Strike Fighter,
shortly JSF, officially started in 1996. The X-35 model of Lockheed Martin beat the X-32
of Boeing, its rival, and has become the F-35 Lightning II.
The Lightning is the name of both the P-38, the American veteran fighter aircraft of the
Second World War and the first and only pure British designed and built supersonic jet
interceptor. Between 2001 and 2012, the United Kingdom,
the Netherlands, Italy, Canada, Denmark, Turkey, Norway, and Australia had joined the programme,
respectively. As we mentioned, the aircraft has three versions.
The F-35A is the land-based conventional take-off and landing model. The F-35B is the ship-based
short take-off and vertical landing version. The F-35C is the ship-based catapult assisted
take-off but arrested recovery aircraft. The F-35A performed its maiden flight on December
15, 2006. Two years later, the B version and four years later, the C version made their
first flights. While the length of the F-35A and C are 15.67
meters, the F-35B is shorter. Despite the aircraft has a lift engine behind the cockpit
different from others, it is only 15.59 meters long. When we speak about the wingspan, this
time A and B are the same; 10.67 meters. The F-35C has a wingspan of 13.1 meters, which
helps the ship-based catapult assisted take-off but arrested recovery operations. These three
models are 4.33 meters, 4.57 meters, and 4.7 meters high, respectively. The maximum take-off
weights of the F-35A and C are nearly 31.8 tons. The F-35B is 27.2 tons. The A and C
variants of the F-35 have a combat radius of 1,200 kilometres. Because of lift engine
infests large volume, the F-35B has a smaller internal fuel tank, and it can reach just
over 900 kilometres combat radius. Despite the programme requirements, the Lightning
II does not have real supercruise capability. The aircraft can perform supercruise for a
very short time and distance. To able to reach supersonic speed for considerable time and
distance, it has to use the afterburner. To preserve its stealth feature, the F-35
carries the weapons inside of its internal weapons bays. Thus, the aircraft is a suitable
platform as the first-strike system. In a low-intensity combat environment or after
the destruction of the enemy’s radar and air defence net systems by the first strike,
the F-35 would be equipped with the weapon systems on its underwing pylons. With the
underwing load, the aircraft loses some of its stealth features but can carry more weapons
and/or external fuel tanks. Australia, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands,
Norway, South Korea, the UK, and the USA are the current users of the aircraft.
Because of the S-400 crisis, four F-35As that were produced for Turkey are waiting indefinitely.
The USA also cancelled the previous contract with Turkey and banned the possible future
purchase to this country. In April 2021, Turkey has been excluded from
the F-35 fighter jet programme. Despite this decision, many Turkish companies will continue
to produce parts for the aircraft. Belgium, Denmark, Poland, and Singapore will
be future operators of the F-35. As a partner of the JSF Project, Canada cancelled
the F-35 procurement because of the aircraft's high costs. But, the Lightning II is still
on the table for this country’s new competition for an aircraft to replace its CF-18 fleet.
The Royal Canadian Air Force is also evaluating the possible procurement of the Eurofighter
Typhoon, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, JAS 39 Gripen, and Rafale.
The aircraft used in combat first time in 2018 by Israel. The USA and the UK have also
employed their Lightning IIs in combat mission. Even some sources claim that the Israeli F-35s
flew over the capital of Iran, Tehran. It is also claimed that Israel uses these
aircraft for combat missions over Iraq and Lebanon.
So far, the aircraft is successful in real combat missions. But why do too many people
complain about the F-35? The main problem is not the aircraft, the
project management. In the beginning, the JSF Project intended to be similar to the
previous F-5 and F-16 programmes of the USA. The F-35 was supposed to be an aircraft with
fair procurement and life cycle costs. As a fifth-generation fighter, it would be able
to fly at supersonic speed without the afterburner. The different users would be able to adapt
the aircraft for their specific needs. But, the F-35 could answer none of these requirements.
During the first step of the JSF Programme, it was announced that the procurement cost
of the new aircraft would be 25 to 35 million dollars. Today, it is claimed that this cost
is 85 million, but the real cost is over 120 million dollars. As you know that the complete
procurement progress brings lots of special burdens. So, buying five F-35s would not be
600 million dollars but you would have to spend over 2 billion dollars. It is equal
that more than several African countries’ defence budget together to have a squadron
level of the Lightning II. In addition, the life cycle costs of the F-35
is higher than the F-22. The powerful engine of the aircraft could
melt the current airbases' runaways. The F-35 need special chemical waste facilities. So,
you have to rebuild your air facilities countrywide, or you could only use some of the military
bases and civil airports. Besides, you could not easily deploy your Lightning IIs abroad.
The AN/APG-81 radar of Northrop Grumman and the EOTS targeting pod of Lockheed Martin
are the standard for all aircraft. The F-35 cannot be fitted with different radars or
targeting pods even you would produce these systems domestically or find more capable
models from other countries. However, while the USA dictates the AN/APG-81 and EOTS to
the JSF project partners, it is known that Israel has integrated its locally developed
electronic warfare suits and other avionics onto its F-35I Adir version.
To preserve its stealth feature, the F-35 carries the weapons inside of its internal
weapons bays. No weapon, which has not a suitable size, can be integrated into these bays. This
situation would prevent procure different weapon systems from different sources in case
of crisis with the JSF partner countries. Besides, all maintenance and support activities
will be controlled by a centre in the USA. So, the big brother will always watch your
F-35 squadron. But, the main problem is money as usual. To
overcome these problems, even the US Air Force has switched to lower-cost solutions. The
latest model of the good old F-15, the Eagle II, is precisely the example of this new trend.
However, it should not be forgotten that the F-15EX is not an alternative but a complement
to the F-35. But, the fourth-generation western aircraft
are critically ageing, and they need to be replaced.
Russia and China developed their fifth or fifth-ish generation samples. There is no
way back. In the dawn of the Second Cold War, for the countries, which in need a modern
fifth-generation fighter, the F-35 is the most suitable and the only choice.
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