The F-35C Lightning II is a phenomenal piece of modern military engineering; it stands as the world’s first and only long-range stealth strike fighter designed explicitly for Navy carrier operations. This fifth-generation fighter, part of the Joint Strike Fighter program, brings a never-before-seen level of stealth to the sea, allowing pilots to avoid enemy radar and operate in the most contested environments.
The configuration with embedded sensors, internal fuel, and weapons capacity, aligned edges, and state-of-the-art manufacturing processes contribute to the Very Low Observable stealth performance of this design. Its uniqueness significantly enhances the lethality and survivability of this aircraft in naval operations.
Recently, the U.S. Navy received its first F-35C Lightning II at Eglin Air Force Base. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Tabert, an F-35C instructor pilot with the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-101, lands the aircraft after a two-hour flight from Ft. Worth, Texas. The delivery marks a significant milestone as VFA-101, co-located with the 33rd Fighter Wing, will be the F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron. The squadron will train F-35C aircrew and maintenance personnel alongside Air Force, Marine, and coalition partners.
The F-35C is a variant tailored for U.S. Navy carrier operations, featuring an extensively greater wingspan to improve low-speed control, foldable wingtips for space efficiency on carriers, robust landing gear, and a tail hook for deck landings. Its extended range makes it particularly ideal for over-ocean operations, with a considerable fuel capacity. Recent emphasis has been placed on integrating more F-35Cs into the U.S. Navy’s forces, exemplified by a recent $32 million contract with Lockheed Martin to deliver additional aircraft, supportive of the jet’s ongoing importance in the maintenance of naval air superiority.
The Joint Strike Fighter program was created in the early 1990s to replace the Air Force Multi-Role Fighter and the Navy Advanced Fighter-Attack programs. The system eventually grew to a nine-nation consortium that also included Canada, the UK, Denmark, Turkey, and Australia. Specific variants were created for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy requirements; the F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C, respectively. All are powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135, most capable of speeds up to Mach 1.6.
The F-35C features heavy-duty landing gear and a tail hook for operating from the U.S. Navy’s fleet of Nimitz- and Ford-class supercarriers. Its wingspan widest among the three variants allows it to fly slower during takeoffs and landings, crucial given the short runways on aircraft carriers. Further, the F-35C is capable of carrying about 20,000 pounds of internal fuel, giving it a range of over 1,200 nautical miles.
These capabilities, added to its specifications, are no surprise as to why the Navy is eager to add more of these airframes to its fleet. Last year, the Navy awarded a contract for more than $32 million to Lockheed Martin for the production of nine Lot 17 F-35C aircraft. The deal represents a significant milestone for the company and the F-35 program, which remains highly relevant to the U.S. military as it looks to sustain air superiority and national security, according to Air Force Technology.
For now, the F-35C is the only fifth-generation aircraft designed to fly carrier operations. Until the Navy’s planned sixth-generation platform hits the fleet, the F-35C will continue to dominate carrier-based aviation operations, ensuring that the U.S. Navy maintains its lead in modern naval warfare.