X-35B

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a military fighter aircraft designed by the USA and the United Kingdom. It is intended to replace the current generation of strike fighters, particularly the vertical take off and landing Harrier jump jets : the AV-8 Harrier II (US), Harrier GR7/9 (UK), and the Sea Harrier (UK), along with the conventional A-10 Thunderbolt II, F/A-18 Hornet and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. It is set to be a multi-role strike fighter currently in production with Lockheed Martin, along with partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.

Three variants are envisioned: the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A for the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the RAF; the Advanced Short Take-Off Vertical Landing (ASTOVL) F-35B for the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and the Royal Navy (RN); and the carrier-based (CV) F-35C for the U.S. Navy (USN). The USAF is considering the F-35B, and the Royal Navy is considering ordering the F-35C variant for its large CVF Future Carrier program.

The F-35, expected to be ready for service in 2008, is scheduled to begin replacing Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier and F/A-18s in 2009, and the USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II and F-16 in 2010.

X-35B  X-35C  X-35C