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F-35B Lightning II fighter -��The American-made F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has become arguably the most coveted fighter jet across the globe.

The fifth-generation platform possesses unparalleled stealth, allowing it to evade enemy detection and enter contested airspace.

Additionally, an internal weapons storage [bay], embedded sensors and cutting-edge technologies and avionics make the����a truly unique platform. While China and Russia have developed their Chengdu J-20 and Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation near-peers, experts largely agree that the Lightning II is superior.

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The history of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

Derived from the Joint Strike Fighter program, the F-35 was the product of the revered Skunk Works team which was tasked with developing an Advanced Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing (ASTOVL) for both the Marine Corps and Air Force.

By the mid-1990s, all the big names in manufacturing- including Northrop Grumman, ���ſ�����ʷ and Boeing- submitted design proposals to fit the bill.

Ultimately, the����was designated to replace an array of multi-role platforms flown by the U.S. and its allies, including the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, A-10 Thunderbolt II and F-117 Nighthawk.

The United Kingdom became the first foreign state to join the JSF program, followed by Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Canada and Australia. Turkey was also a participant of the program; however, the country had its JSF privileges revoked after refusing U.S. demands to not acquire the Russian-made S-400 air-defense system for security reasons.

Powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, the JSF has a top speed of Mach-1.6 (times the speed of sound). Additionally, the platform features an advanced sensor fusion which creates a single integrated image of the battlefield that enhances the situational awareness of the pilot. The platform’s����enables it to fly undetected by enemy aircraft, an ability that fourth-generation jets do not possess. Its stealth, combined with its active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and internal weapons bay makes the F-35 a powerhouse in the skies.

Introducing the F-35B

Three JSF variants have been developed for the��, Marine Corps and Navy- the F-35A, F-35B and F-35C respectively. The Marine Corps’ variant notably became the first supersonic, radar-evading stealth fighter in history to possess short take-off/vertical landing capabilities when it entered service.

The F-35B is designed to operate from austere bases and an array of air-capable ships while it can also takeoff and land from longer runways and conventional bases.

As detailed by the platform’s manufacturer��, “STOVL operation is made possible through the patented shaft-driven LiftFan propulsion system. This propulsion approach overcomes many of the temperature, velocity and power challenges of direct-lift systems.”

The platform’s STOVL capability makes the F-35B variant the most mechanically complex version of the Lightning II in service. Due to its lifting fan position, the F-35B has less internal storage capacity than its counterparts.

The Marine Corps’ F-35B variant may be the most complex, however, all three Lightning II types are equally formidable and will undoubtedly remain a critical component of America’s aerial prowess for decades to come.