Profile :
Role Stealth multirole fighter
National origin United States
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
First flight 15 December 2006
Introduction After 2016
Status In initial production and testing, used for training by U.S.
Primary users United States Air Force
United States Marine Corps
United States Navy
Royal Air Force
Produced 2006–present
Number built 63
Unit cost F-35A: US$107 million (sans engine, 5th LRIP)
F-35B: US$237.7M (weap. sys. cost, 2012)
F-35C: US$236.8M (weap. sys. cost, 2012)
Developed from Lockheed Martin X-35

General characteristics(beda-beda menurut seri)
Crew: 1
Length: 51.4 ft (15.67 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft(10.7 m)
Height: 14.2 ft (4.33 m)
Wing area: 460 ft² (42.7 m²)
Empty weight: 29,300 lb (13,300 kg)
Loaded weight: 49,540 lb(22,470 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 70,000 lb (31,800 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan
Dry thrust: 28,000 lbf (125 kN)
Thrust with afterburner: 43,000 lbf (191 kN)
Internal fuel capacity: 18,480 lb (8,382 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 1.6+ (1,200 mph, 1,930 km/h) (Tested to Mach 1.61)
Range: 1,200 nmi (2,220 km) on internal fuel
Combat radius: 584 nmi (1,080 km) on internal fuel[463]
Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,288 m) (Tested to 43,000 ft)[465]
Rate of climb: classified (not publicly available)
Wing loading: 91.4 lb/ft² (446 kg/m²; 526 kg/m2 loaded)
Thrust/weight: **With full fuel: 0.87
With 50% fuel: 1.07
g-Limits: 9 g (Only 4.6g in a sustained turn.)

Armament:

Guns: 1 × General Dynamics GAU-22/A Equalizer 25 mm (0.984 in) 4-barreled gatling cannon, internally mounted with 180 rounds
Hardpoints: 6 × external pylons on wings with a capacity of 15,000 lb (6,800 kg) and two internal bays with two pylons each[237] for a total weapons payload of 18,000 lb (8,100 kg) and provisions to carry combinations of:
Missiles: Air-to-air missiles:
AIM-120 AMRAAM
AIM-9X Sidewinder
IRIS-T
MBDA Meteor (Pending further funding)
Air-to-surface missiles:
AGM-154 JSOW
AGM-88 AARGM
AGM-158 JASSM
Brimstone missile / MBDA SPEAR
Joint Air-to-Ground Missile
Storm Shadow missile
SOM
Anti-ship missiles:
JSM
LRASM
Bombs: Mark 84, Mark 83 and Mark 82 GP bombs
Mk.20 Rockeye II cluster bomb
Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser capable
Paveway series laser-guided bombs
Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)
JDAM series
B61 nuclear bomb
Avionics
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems AN/APG-81 AESA radar
Lockheed Martin AAQ-40 E/O Targeting System (EOTS)
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) missile warning system
BAE Systems AN/ASQ-239 (Barracuda) electronic warfare system
Harris Corporation Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) communication system

F-35 adalah pesawat patungan dari berbagai negara dengan tujuan menciptakan sebuah pesawat tempur yang mampu mengganti sesepuhnya yang "usang" seperti US dengan Tomcat nya,F 15 , F 16 dan UK yang mengganti sea harrier.

Negara yang ikut patunggan : UK,US,Italy,Canada(mungkin cancel),Denmark,Australia(coba2),Norway,Turki(sebagai developer)
Israel,Singapore,Japan(potential users)

F 35 memiliki keunggulan tersendiri yang paling mencolok yaitu stealth yang juga merupakan feature nya sebagai 5th gen fighter udah begitu dia pun tergolong multi role (bisa fighter/bomber/dll).Dengan stealth ia bisa menembak missile udara ke udara/darat dari jarak aman tanpa membahanyakan F-35 sendiri.

Varian dalam F-35 lightning 2 :
F-35 A (CTOL) take off dari landasan biasa
F-35 B (VTOL) mampu untuk short take off dan vertical/landing take off
F-35 C untuk versi carrier

Masalah dalam F 35 yang masih dalam pengembangan ini menurut pentagon tahun 2011(lama) :
-The helmet-mounted display system does not work properly.
-The fuel dump subsystem poses a fire hazard.
-The Integrated Power Package is unreliable and difficult to service.
-The F-35C's arresting hook does not work.
-Classified "survivability issues", which have been speculated to be about stealth.
-The wing buffet is worse than previously reported.
-The airframe is unlikely to last through the required lifespan.
-The flight test program has yet to explore the most challenging areas.
-The software development is behind schedule.
-The aircraft is in danger of going overweight or, for the F-35B, not properly balanced for VTOL operations.
-There are multiple thermal management problems. The air conditioner fails to keep the pilot and controls cool enough, the roll posts on the F-35B overheat, and using the afterburner damages the aircraft.
-The automated logistics information system is partially developed.
-The lightning protection on the F-35 is uncertified, with areas of concern.

Menurut TS:

Keunggulan:
-Punya Helmet-mounted display system yang bisa lock pesawat musuh dari jauh dan tidak harus diposisi tepat di belakang(hanya tinggal menoleh pun katanya bisa)(meski masih pengembangan)
-Perannya menutupi pesawat lain memungkinkan suatu negara bisa terfokus baik teknologi dan pembiayaan serta perawatan ke jenis yang tidak terlalu beragam

Kekurangan:
-Proyek ini hambatan nya masih banyak dan belum tentu semua feature dapat tercapai
- Harga !meski memang 5th gen jika Indonesia mau beli disarankan cari wangsit minimal 1 bulan,puasa dan banyak doa perbandingan dengan Rafale untuk seri F 35 A(standarnya nih) jaraknya bisa $20 juta/190 milliar rupiah per unit.(tapi kalo beli satu trus di copy ya gak ap cari peruntungan untuk IFX)


Near future rival for F 35 lightning II=
PAK FA,Sukhoi/HAL FGFA(India/russia 5th gen),Chengdu J-20,J-31,Sukhoi Su-47,Mikoyan LMFS