The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter represents the pinnacle in modern military aviation—uniquely integrating low observability, fusion of sensors, and situational awareness. For Australia, this fifth-generation fighter will change the way air superiority and precision strikes are carried out well into the 2040s.
Technological finesse is one of the strongholds of the F-35. Its multirole heritage brings in the strength of versatility and attains air superiority in pinpoint accurate ground strikes. The two different load-out configurations can be in ‘stealth’ and ‘beast’ modes according to mission requirements.
In stealth mode, the F-35 avoids enemy air, land, and water radars with its low-observability profile. It can carry internal ordnance of up to 5,700 pounds in this configuration, which includes loads for air-to-air and air-to-surface missions. For example, it can carry four AIM-120 AMRAAMs for air-to-air missions or two AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two GBU-31 2,000-pound bombs for mixed air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
At the other end of the spectrum, beast mode transforms the F-35 into a firepower juggernaut, lugging up to 22,000 pounds of both internal and external ordnance. This can include a raft of fourteen AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9X Sidewinders for air superiority or a mix of both air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons for comprehensive strike missions.
Jeff Babione, former general manager for the F-35 Program at Lockheed Martin and currently vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, said, “Whether it’s the first day of the war when we need the stealth, or the second or third … whenever the F-35 is called, it can do the mission.”
The weaponry of the F-35, among them the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, has been developed to permit flexibility in their use against aerial and ground targets. These missiles have a 20-mile range and guide themselves by sophisticated radar and other guidance systems. Another major weapon is the GBU-31 JDAM, a 2,000-pound bomb that can self-navigate to pre-programmed targets with its coordinates adjustable in mid-air.
The AIM-9X Sidewinder missile is tri-use, deployable in air-to-air, air-to-surface, or surface-to-air missions without modifications, which adds to the combat versatility of the F-35.
Equipped with advanced avionics that afford pilots 360-degree situational awareness, it has an operational radius of 2,800 kilometers and a combat radius of 1,390 kilometers. It’s able to realize a depth of tactical optimization that no adversary has ever faced, yet support legacy fourth-generation platforms—the F/A-18, F-15, F-16, and Eurofighter Typhoon—to bring forces to bear against enemies.
The F-35 can therefore share its gathered information in real-time with other aircraft and operation centers; hence it is considered the “quarterback aircraft.” Its advanced electronic warfare suite allows pilots to geolocate and track enemy forces, jam radars, and break up attacks almost to an unparalleled degree of effectiveness.
Put another way, the F-35 is designed to fly well outside the traditional mold of air-to-air, air-to-ground, electronic attacks, intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance—all in one very powerful package.