The F-35 Lightning II is a stealth multirole fighter family built around three major service variants: the conventional F-35A, short-takeoff/vertical-landing F-35B, and carrier-capable F-35C.
Development
The conventional F-35A made the family’s first flight on 15 December 2006. The STOVL F-35B followed in June 2008 and the carrier F-35C in June 2010. The three versions share the Joint Strike Fighter family but have configuration differences significant enough to require separate variant records and technical profiles.
Variant Architecture
The F-35A is the conventional takeoff and landing version, the F-35B incorporates short-takeoff/vertical-landing propulsion features, and the F-35C uses a larger wing and carrier-suitable configuration. Trackpads therefore stores key weights, dimensions, payload and range by variant instead of publishing a misleading single family specification.
Operational Variants
The F-35B reached initial operational capability with the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2015, followed by the U.S. Air Force F-35A in August 2016 and the carrier F-35C in February 2019. These separate operational milestones reinforce the need for variant-level chronology.
Variants
| Designation | Type | Role | Recorded operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-35A | Production | Multirole Fighter | United States Air Force |
| F-35A Block 3F | Production | Multirole Fighter | United States Air Force |
| F-35A SDD AA-1 | Prototype | Multirole Fighter | United States Air Force |
| F-35A TR-3 | Upgrade | Multirole Fighter | United States Air Force |
| F-35B | Production | Multirole Fighter | United States Marine Corps |
| F-35B Block 3F | Production | Multirole Fighter | United States Marine Corps |
| F-35B SDD BF-1 | Prototype | Multirole Fighter | United States Marine Corps |
| F-35B TR-3 | Upgrade | Multirole Fighter | United States Marine Corps |
| F-35C | Production | Multirole Fighter | United States Navy, United States Marine Corps |
| F-35C Block 3F | Production | Multirole Fighter | United States Navy |
| F-35C SDD CF-1 | Prototype | Multirole Fighter | United States Navy |
| F-35C TR-3 | Upgrade | Multirole Fighter | United States Navy |
| X-35A | Prototype | Multirole Fighter | United States Air Force |
| X-35B STOVL conversion | Prototype | Multirole Fighter | United States Marine Corps |
| X-35C | Prototype | Multirole Fighter | United States Navy |
Representative specifications
Configuration-specific profiles are shown separately so values from different variants are not blended into one false “standard” aircraft.
F-35A — Lockheed Martin March 2021 profile
- Crew
- 1
- Length
- 15.7 m
- Wingspan
- 10.7 m
- Height
- 4.38 m
- Maximum speed
- 1.6 ratio (Mach 1.6)
- Range
- 2,200 km (greater than stated value, internal fuel)
- Combat radius
- 1,093 km (greater than stated value, internal fuel service profile)
Powerplant: 1 × F135-PW-100 · 177.9 kN (approximately 40,000 lbf maximum uninstalled rating)
Armament: Internal and external mission-dependent weapons; representative internal loads differ by variant.
Sensors / avionics: Integrated sensor and mission-system suite; exact software/block configuration is time-dependent and deferred.
F-35B — Lockheed Martin March 2021 profile
- Crew
- 1
- Length
- 15.6 m
- Wingspan
- 10.7 m
- Height
- 4.36 m
- Maximum speed
- 1.6 ratio (Mach 1.6)
- Range
- 1,667 km (greater than stated value, internal fuel)
- Combat radius
- 833 km (greater than stated value, internal fuel service profile)
Powerplant: 1 × F135-PW-600 · 177.9 kN (approximately 40,000 lbf maximum uninstalled rating)
Armament: Internal and external mission-dependent weapons; representative internal loads differ by variant.
Sensors / avionics: Integrated sensor and mission-system suite; exact software/block configuration is time-dependent and deferred.
F-35C — Lockheed Martin March 2021 profile
- Crew
- 1
- Length
- 15.7 m
- Wingspan
- 13.1 m
- Height
- 4.48 m
- Maximum speed
- 1.6 ratio (Mach 1.6)
- Range
- 2,200 km (greater than stated value, internal fuel)
- Combat radius
- 1,100 km (greater than stated value, internal fuel service profile)
Powerplant: 1 × F135-PW-100 · 177.9 kN (approximately 40,000 lbf maximum uninstalled rating)
Armament: Internal and external mission-dependent weapons; representative internal loads differ by variant.
Sensors / avionics: Integrated sensor and mission-system suite; exact software/block configuration is time-dependent and deferred.
Sources and further reading
Structured references supporting this aircraft family, variants, specifications, and narrative sections.
- AF declares the F-35A ‘combat ready’ — United States Air Force · Tier 1
- F-35 Fast Facts — March 1, 2021 — Lockheed Martin · Tier 1
- F-35C Achieves Initial Operational Capability — United States Navy · Tier 1
- Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighter Completes First Flight — Lockheed Martin · Tier 1
- Lockheed Martin F-35B STOVL Stealth Fighter Achieves Successful First Flight — Lockheed Martin · Tier 1
- U.S. Marine Corps declares the F-35B operational — United States Marine Corps · Tier 1
- U.S. Navy Version of Lockheed Martin F-35 Makes First Flight — Lockheed Martin · Tier 1
- Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter Takes Flight — Lockheed Martin · Tier 2
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2001-02 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2006-07 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2008-09 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010-11 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2017-18 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2018-19 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2019-20 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2024-25 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3