The first production model Lockheed F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter made it's maiden flight on the 15th of December 2006, it is a joint project of several nations with the US as the main contributor and the UK as the next largest. The F-35 Lightning II design incorporates stealth technology although not to the same extent as the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk while retaining the performance of existing non-stealth "state of the art" fighters. Two of the main companies involved in the project are Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and BAE Systems, this has been reflected in the F-35's name Lightning II, Lockheed built and designed the WWII Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter and English Electric, a company now incorporated within BAE Systems, built and designed the Cold War-era English Electric Lightning fighter. Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Specifications: Crew: Pilot only Length: 50 ft 6 in (15.37 m) Wingspan: 35 ft 0 in (10.65 m) Height: 17 ft 4 in (5.28 m) Wing area: 459.6 ft² (42.7 m²) Loaded weight: 44,400 lb (20,100 kg) Maximum takeoff weight: 60,000 lb (27,200 kg) Engine: Single 40,000+ lbf (178+ kN) thrust Pratt & Whitney F135 or General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 afterburning turbofan Maximum speed: Mach 1.6+ (1,200 mph, 1,931 km/h) Combat radius: 600 nmi (690 mi, 1,110 km) G-Limit: 9g
Armament: Guns: Single internal or pod mounted GAU-12/U 25 mm cannon Missiles: Internal: 6 air-air missiles or 2 air-air missile and 2 air-surface weapons External: 2 missiles and 4 missiles/bombs
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