Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II

Lockheed Martin · United States · first flew 2006 · fighter

The F-35A is the conventional take-off and landing variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, intended for the US Air Force and other air forces.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	15.7 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

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Spot it by:

Single-engine stealth fighter with two canted tail fins and a 35 ft (10.7 m) wingspan
Conventional take-off and landing variant, the smallest and lightest of the three, with no lift fan
Cannon is internal in the A, unlike the external pod on the B and C

Compared with the B and C it has no lift fan or enlarged wing, and its 25 mm cannon sits inside the fuselage.

Specifications

The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II has a length of 15.7 m (52 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.7 m (35 ft).
Its maximum speed is 1976 km/h (1228 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The first F-35A, AA-1, was rolled out on 19 February 2006 and first flew on 15 December 2006. It entered US Air Force service on 2 August 2016.

Variants

It is the smallest and lightest variant and capable of 9 g, the highest of the three. The F-35B and F-35C are the short take-off and carrier variants, and Israel operates an F-35A-derived F-35I.

Where you'll see it

Operators include the US, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and South Korea. It normally refuels by boom and receptacle and carries a single-use tailhook.

Related aircraft

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