The F-35 Lightning II—whose development is progressing at a feverish tempo—will bring new capabilities to not only the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps but also serve as a centerpiece for some of the leading international air forces.

Concept demonstration and selection in October 2001. First launch in December 2006. The speed with which the Lockheed Martinled Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme has been progressing showcases the prowess of modern day cutting-edge technologies. Developing a highly complex weapons platform—a stealth-capable, multi-role strike fighter that can perform close air support, tactical bombing and air-to-air combat—programme managers encountered the whole bewildering range of suspected and unexpected hitches and glitches. What astonished observers was the resolute determination with which the hurdles were overcome and creases ironed out to keep the programme on track.

Tracing the origin of the JSF programme puts the focus on two distinct projects initiated in the early 1990s: the USAF/USN Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) and the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s (DARPA) Common Affordable Lightweight Fighter (CALF). A merger in 1994 resulted in the programme being rechristened JSF by end-1995.

The JSF programme was created in the US to replace various aircraft on the inventory of its armed forces while keeping development, production and operating costs down. The original JSF development contract was signed on November 16, 1996 with the announcement by then US Secretary of Defence William Perry that Boeing and Lockheed Martin had been chosen to participate in the weapons system concept demonstration (WSCD) phase. In less than five years, both aviation companies not only produced the technology demonstrators, but also competed with each other. The contract for System Development and Demonstration (SDD), the next step in the development programme, was awarded to Lockheed Martin whose X-35 consistently outperformed the Boeing’s X-32, although both met or exceeded requirements. The fighter’s designation, F-35, came as a surprise to Lockheed Martin; it had been referring to the aircraft in-house as F-24.

On July 7, 2006, the US Air Force officially announced the name of the F-35: Lightning II in honour of Lockheed Martin’s World War II-era P-38 Lightning and the postwar English Electric Lightning supersonic jet fighter. It may be recalled that English Electric’s aircraft division was incorporated into BAC, a predecessor of the current F-35 programme partner BAE Systems.