F-35C Lightning II

Description
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is a term describing the compilation of next-generation light fighters soon to be equipping the United States Air Force, Navy, and Marines, along with multiple countries worldwide. Combining multirole capability with affordability, stealth technology, and resourcefulness, the F-35 is bound to be a next-generation force to contend with. The F-35 is set to replace several aircraft, including the F-16, F/A-18C Hornet, F/A-18D Hornet, AV-8B Harrier II, and the A-10A Thunderbolt II. The F-35C refers to the naval variant of the F-35 program. It is equipped with an enlarged wing and tail section for carrier operations. It can carry two AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles and two 1000-pound JDAM guided munitions in internal bays, but like the 25mm GAU-22/A Equalizer cannon, additional stores including AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles or AGM-84 Harpoon air-to-surface missiles can be fitted on external hardpoints. The Pratt & Whitney F135 derivative engine produces enough thrust to put the engine in the 40,000 thrust-pound class, however due to the F-35's rather large size and extension of internalizations, the engine can only produce a thrust-to-weight ratio of approximately .85 to 1. It has a top speed of about Mach 1.8. In July of 2006, the United States defense department announced that the Joint Strike Fighter was to be given the official name "Lightning II", in honor of the P-38 Lightning, an Allied fighter that served during WWII. A little bit of confusion was caused with the naming of the JSF, as "Lightning II" was also the de-facto nickname of the YF-22 prototype fighter. The price for one unit is an estimated $89,500,000 USD. About 13 F-35's have been built as of 2010.

Aces

 * Moewe (BAF/ACZ)


 * Spatz (BAF/ACZ)


 * Turm (Tower/Rook) (UAF & AWWNB/ACZ)


 * Belcrux (LAF/ACX)
 * Vulcan (Golden Axe Plan Private Army/ACX2)

Standard Weapons

 * Gun: 1x GAU-22/A 25mm 5-Barreled Gatling Cannon
 * Missile: AIM-9M Sidewinder

Special Weapons

 * LASM: AGM-84 Harpoon (AC5, ACZ & ACX)
 * QAAM: AIM-9X Sidewinder (ACZ & ACX)
 * SOD: MBDA Storm Shadow (ACZ & ACX)

Ace Combat 5/Zero

 * Speed: 68
 * Mobility: 87
 * Stability: 79
 * Defense: 66
 * Air-to-Air: 57
 * Air-to-Ground: 91

Ace Combat X

 * Speed: 66


 * Air-to-Air: 72
 * Air-to-Ground: 42


 * Mobility: 78
 * Stability: 69
 * Defense: 60

Comparable Aircraft

 * X-32
 * X-35 (prototype of the F-35)
 * F/A-32C Erne
 * AV-8B Harrier II
 * F-15E Strike Eagle

Related Development

 * X-35 (Prototype of the F-35)


 * F-22A Raptor

Source
Global Security