F-35(Page 2)

Latest in F-35

Plans To Finally Give F-35 External Fuel Tanks Emerge In New Air Force Budget (Updated)
F-35A

Plans To Finally Give F-35 External Fuel Tanks Emerge In New Air Force Budget (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jun 30, 2025

The Pentagon’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget fully commits to the U.S. Air Force's F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter, while effectively shelving the U.S. Navy's plans for a next-generation carrier-based F/A-XX combat jet.
F-35

Pentagon “All In” On Air Force’s F-47, Puts Navy’s F/A-XX On Ice

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jun 27, 2025

U.K. Royal Air Force F-35B Lightning.
F-35A

Royal Air Force Goes Nuclear With F-35A

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 25, 2025

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, assigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, refuels a U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft during exercise RAMSTEIN FLAG 2024 while flying over the coast of Greece, Oct. 4, 2024. RAFL24 demonstrates NATO unity and strength, as Allies across the Euro-Atlantic area train side by side in defensive and offensive air operations scenarios in support of the enduring commitment to shared values and ability to adapt to the emerging environment.
F-35A

U.S. Air Force Fighters Deploy To Reinforce Middle East

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 17, 2025

Germany plans to buy Joint Strike Missile (JSM) cruise missiles from Norway, to arm its forthcoming fleet of F-35A stealth fighters. While these jets were primarily chosen as launch platforms for U.S.-owned nuclear gravity bombs, under a long-standing NATO agreement, Germany is increasingly viewing the F-35A as part of an expanding conventional long-range strike arsenal.
F-35A

German F-35s Will Be Armed With Stealthy Joint Strike Missiles

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 5, 2025

Royal Navy wants to arm carriers with drones and long-range missiles
F-35B

Royal Navy To Arm Its Carriers With Long-Range Missiles

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 3, 2025

Boeing’s F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter has been pitched to Japan by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to reports. The idea of an export-configured F-47 was brought up by Trump when he announced Boeing’s win in the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) manned combat jet initiative. Meanwhile, Japan is apparently also looking at increasing its buy of F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighters, prompted by concerns over the timeline for the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), a sixth-generation combat jet being pursued jointly by Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
F-35

Trump Offers F-47 Sixth-Gen Fighter To Japan: Reports

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 30, 2025

Pilot-optional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters could be coming in the future as Lockheed Martin looks for ways to ensure the jets remain relevant for decades to come.
F-35

What We Just Learned A More Advanced “Ferrari” F-35 Could Include

By Thomas Newdick, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 30, 2025

Trump wants a twin engine F-35.
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Trump Wants A Twin-Engine “F-55” Version Of The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 15, 2025

F-35 was nearly downed by Houthi air defenses.
F-35

How The Houthis’ Rickety Air Defenses Threaten Even The F-35

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on May 14, 2025

A U.S. F-35 stealth fighter had to take evasive action to avoid being hit by a Houthi SAM, a U.S. official told The War Zone.
F-35

F-35 Had To Maneuver To Evade Houthi Surface-To-Air Missile: U.S. Official

By Howard Altman

Posted on May 14, 2025

Small missile for CCA and fighter aircraft sought by USAF.
F-35

Air Force Looking For Cheap Air-To-Air Missile Half The Size Of AMRAAM

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 5, 2025

U.S. carrier-based F-35C Joint Strike Fighters have been shooting down Houthi drones in the course of recent operations over and around the Red Sea, in addition to striking targets in Yemen, according to a U.S. official.
F-35C

F-35C Naval Joint Strike Fighters Have Been Shooting Down Houthi Drones

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 25, 2025

A U.S. F-35 stealth fighter had to take evasive action to avoid being hit by a Houthi SAM, a U.S. official told The War Zone.
F-35

Giving F-35 “NASCAR Upgrade” Can Deliver 80% Of F-47 Capabilities At Half Cost: Lockheed

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 22, 2025

The first two American F-35A Lightning II fighter jets land in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, on May 23, 2016. The F-35 program is an international effort where the United States works with eight other partner nations, including the Netherlands, to design and develop the F-35.
F-35A

Dutch F-35s Provide Targeting For Rocket Artillery

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 11, 2025

The U.S. Navy expects its future F/A-XX sixth-generation stealth fighters to offer just a 25 percent increase in range over the existing tactical combat jets in its carrier air wings.
F-35C

F/A-XX Will Have Just 25% More Range Than Existing Navy Fighters

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 7, 2025

Very Close Encounter Between F-35 And Su-35 Caught On Cockpit Camera
F-35A

Very Close Encounter Between F-35 And Su-35 Caught On Cockpit Camera

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 4, 2025

Retired Marine Col. Charles Del Pizzo told a South Carolina newspaper his version of events that led to his F-35B crashing nearly 12 minutes after he ejected.
F-35B

Sacked Marine Pilot Whose F-35B Flew Without Him After Ejecting Gives His Side Of The Story

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 31, 2025

F-35 Hill AFB
F-35A

F-35s From Hill AFB Arrive In England

By Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 20, 2025

Israel has confirmed that its F-35 stealth fighters have flown airstrikes using external ordnance. The F-35’s so-called ‘beast mode,’ featuring heavier loads on underwing pylons, is well known by now, but as far as is known, has not been called upon operationally by any other countries. Meanwhile, Israel’s unique F-35I fleet — locally known as the “Adir” (Hebrew for mighty) — which features various local modifications, has frequently been at the forefront of demonstrating new capabilities.
F-35A

Israeli F-35s First To Use ‘Beast Mode’ In Combat

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 17, 2025

In response to recent European media reports, Lockheed Martin and several governments have pushed back on the idea that F-35 Joint Strike Fighters have any kind of a discreet 'kill switch' that U.S. authorities could use to remotely disable the jets.
F-35

You Don’t Need A Kill Switch To Hobble Exported F-35s

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 11, 2025

Meteor Missile F-35B testing
F-35A

F-35B Has Flown With Meteor Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 28, 2025

Israel Performs Parade-Like Fighter Jet Flyover For Arch Enemy’s Funeral
F-35

Israel Performs Parade-Like Fighter Jet Flyover For Arch Enemy’s Funeral

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Feb 23, 2025

U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, the top American military officer overseeing operations in and around North America, has said he would welcome Canadian participation in expanding continental missile defense efforts, including in space.
F-35A

Canada Joining Iron Dome Missile Defense Plan Would Be Welcome: NORAD Boss

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 14, 2025

A Russian Sukhoi Su-57 (L) and U.S. Air Force's F-35 fifth-generation fighter aircrafts are pictured at the tarmac during Aero India 2025, a military aviation exhibition at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 11, 2025. Air traffic is booming in India, even though only a tiny fraction of its people fly each year, and manufacturers are seeking lucrative deals at the flagship Aero India exhibition from February 10. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP) (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)
F-35

Trump Offers India Path To F-35

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Feb 14, 2025

Three nozzle binding mishaps on KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tankers have cost the AIr Force nearly $23 million
F-35A

Tankers Flood Airspace Off The California Coast For China-Focused Air Combat Exercise

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 11, 2025

Russian and American fighter jets join India's biggest air show The Aero India 2025 for the first time in New Delhi, India on February 10, 2025. For the first time in history, the air show is witnessing "the participation of two of the world's most advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft - the Russian Su-57 and the American F-35 Lightning II," the Indian Defense Ministry said.
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F-35 And Su-57 Face Off In India

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 10, 2025

Maj. Garret Dover prepares to taxi in an F-35A of the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, a tenant unit at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., takes off on a test flight at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, Feb 17, 2016. Six operational test and evaluation F-35s and more than 85 Airmen of the 31st TES travelled to Mountain Home AFB to conduct the first simulated deployment test of the F-35A, specifically to execute three key initial operational capability mission sets: suppression of enemy air defenses, close air support and air interdiction.
F-35A

Escalating Trade War Raises Questions Over Canada’s F-35 Future

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 3, 2025

U.S. Navy officials have laid out several priorities they say are key to ensuring the service's carrier air wings will be able to succeed in future conflicts, especially a high-end fight in the Pacific.
F-35C

Carrier Air Wing’s Key Priorities To Win In Future Pacific Fight Laid Out By Navy

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 30, 2025

F-35 Alaska
F-35A

F-35 Caught On Video Tumbling Vertically Into The Runway At Alaskan Air Base

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jan 29, 2025

F-35 AI-Enabled Drone Controller Capability Successfully Demonstrated
F-35

F-35 AI-Enabled Drone Controller Capability Successfully Demonstrated

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 23, 2025

F-35Bs on san clémente island for austere operations training during Steel Knight exercise.
F-35B

We Went With Marine F-35Bs As They Fought A Mock War From A Pacific Island

By James Deboer

Updated on Jan 22, 2025

NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) has confirmed to TWZ that four Dutch F-35A stealth fighters are now also participating in Baltic Sentry, a mission intended, among other things, to ensure the security of critical undersea infrastructure in the region. The jets were already in the region as part of the alliance’s Baltic Air Policing mission.
F-35A

F-35s Now Helping Prevent Baltic Seafloor Cable Sabotage

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Updated on Jan 22, 2025

Norwegian F-35s are in Poznań, Poland, as part of Norway's contribution to NATO's integrated air and missile defense.
F-35A

Norwegian F-35s Scrambled In Poland During Russian Missile Strikes On Ukraine

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 15, 2025

A greater focus on long range strike capabilities is among the alternatives the U.S. Air Force is considering to a costly new crewed sixth-generation stealth combat jet as part of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) family of systems. A lower-cost design focused primarily on acting as a 'quarterback' for Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones is also still on the table.
F-35

$20 Billion Price Tag To Complete Development Of USAF’s Next Generation Fighter (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 13, 2025

Substantial differences in the designs of the B and C variants of the F-35 mean that they each require variant-specific 25mm gun pods.
F-35A

F-35B And F-35C Use Different 25mm Gun Pods Unique To Each Variant

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 20, 2024

F-35 CCA under trump admin
F-35

Former Trump Acting SECDEF Talks About The Future Of Big Ticket Defense Programs

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 6, 2024

The Pentagon says more tests are required to verify that the 25mm automatic cannon mounted internally on the F-35A variant of the Joint Strike Fighter is indeed now an effective weapon.
F-35A

F-35A’s 25mm Gun Still Needs Tests To Verify It Works

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 4, 2024

The Royal Australian Air Force, or RAAF has experimented with a new rapidly laid temporary surface, making it easier to conduct expeditionary aircraft operations, something that is of increasing relevance across the Indo-Pacific region. The trial, which used a temporary surface known as Dura-Base, involved an RAAF F-35A stealth fighter at RAAF Base Tindal, in Australia’s Northern Territory.
F-35A

Australian F-35 Tests Expeditionary Base Concept

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 27, 2024

SPEAR 3 air-to-surface mini cruise missile.
F-35B

UK’s New SPEAR 3 Mini Cruise Missile Succeeds In First End-To-End Test

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 18, 2024

Flight testing of the U.S. Air Force's Stand-In Attack Weapon (SiAW) missile is now set to begin following the delivery of an initial test article.
F-35

First Stand-In Attack Missile Delivered To USAF

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 18, 2024

U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Joint Strike Fighters took part in recent strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, the Pentagon has disclosed.
F-35C

F-35C Naval Joint Strike Fighters Fly Combat Missions Against Houthis In Yemen

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 13, 2024

Israel will buy 25 F-15IA fighters, marking the first new Eagles that the country has acquired since November 1995, when it ordered F-15I Ra’am jets. This summer, Israel had been given U.S. approval to by as many as 50 F-15IAs, as well as upgrade its F-15Is. Whether more F-15s or upgrades are added, the current wars in the Middle East mean that further acquisitions of combat aircraft are likely.
F-35

Israel Executes Long Awaited Buy Of F-15IA Advanced Eagle Fighters

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 7, 2024

USMC F-35B
F-35B

Final Conclusions On Bizarre Crash Of ‘Zombie’ F-35B That Flew Without A Pilot For 64 Miles Released

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Oct 31, 2024

Poland has taken the next step in the modernization of its air force, with U.S. approval given for a major upgrade of its fleet of F-16 fighters. The program will bring the jets to the F-16V standard and also suggests new weapons may be introduced, too. The Viper Midlife Upgrade is announced as Poland awaits F-35 stealth fighters and considers buying F-15EX multirole fighters, while making significant investments in its armed forces across the board, to meet the threat from Russia.
F-35A

Poland’s F-16s Cleared For Major Upgrades

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 24, 2024

BF-19, Lt Cdr Nicholas Baker RN, Flight 633, Test 808, Arrival JS KAGA for beginning of DT Sea Trails, 20 October 2024
F-35B

Japan Expands Carrier Capabilities With F-35B, Drones Could Be Next

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 22, 2024

Iranian attack on Israeli airbase shows some damage but nothing widespread
F-35

Clearer Picture Of Damage To Israeli Airbase From Iranian Ballistic Missiles Emerges

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Oct 4, 2024

KC-707 IAF remote vision system
F-35A

Israeli 707 Tanker’s Secretive Remote Vision System Revealed In Long-Range Yemen Raid

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Sep 30, 2024

After almost 45 years of service, including multiple combat deployments, the F-16 was formally retired today by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF). At the same time, the service announced that the F-35A had attained full operational capability, with the stealth fighter now responsible for the full spectrum of missions previously handled by the Viper, including nuclear strike.
F-35A

The Last Viper Commander: Dutch Squadron Boss On Today’s Retirement Of The F-16

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Sep 27, 2024

An F-35 Lightning II test pilot conducts flight test Sept. 10 to certify the carrier variant of the fighter aircraft for carrying the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). As part of ongoing integration efforts, the Pax River F-35 Integrated Test Force (Pax ITF) team flew two days of test flights to evaluate flutter, loads, and flying qualities with two AGM-158 loaded on external stations. LRASM is a defined near-term solution for the Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) air-launch capability gap that will provide flexible, long-range, advanced, anti-surface capability against high-threat maritime targets. The Pax River ITF’s mission is to effectively plan, coordinate, and conduct safe, secure, and efficient flight test for F-35B and C variants, and provide necessary and timely data to support program verification / certification and fleet operational requirements.
F-35B

F-35 Shown Carrying Stealthy Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles For The First Time

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Sep 24, 2024

Collins Aerospace has put forward a vision for what a high-end air combat engagement between the U.S. and Chinese armed forces, with the American side employing crewed fighters and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone wingmen, could look like in the future.
F-35

What American Fighters And Their Drone Wingmen Fighting Chinese Jets Might Look Like

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 20, 2024

Poland’s first F-35A stealth fighter — locally named Husarz, or hussar — was officially rolled out today in a glitzy ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas plant.
F-35A

Poland’s First F-35A “Hussar” Stealth Fighter Rolled Out

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 28, 2024

Not for the first time, the commitment of the United Kingdom to the F-35B Lightning stealth fighter is under scrutiny, amid reports that the new government could make cuts to it as it grapples with financial woes. With the British government seemingly committed to the next-generation Tempest fighter, the ability to pay for two separate advanced combat aircraft programs is being questioned, while continued problems integrating new weapons on the F-35B also pose a threat to its long-term security.
F-35B

United Kingdom’s F-35B Fleet Plans Under Threat As Defense Cuts Loom

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 27, 2024

More NATO members are now 'read into' top-secret Special Access Programs (SAP) related to the Joint Strike Fighter as part of a broader push to improve information sharing and interoperability.
F-35

More Top Secret F-35 Stealth Fighter Data Given To NATO Members

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 2, 2024

Lockheed Martin has unveiled a new version of its Sniper targeting pod with added networking capabilities primarily designed to enable new connectivity between fourth-generation fighters and stealthy F-35s, but which also offers the ability to create localized 'kill webs' with various assets in the air and on the ground.
F-35

Networked Sniper Pod Will Let 4th-Generation Fighters Create ‘Kill Webs’ With F-35s

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jul 26, 2024

Greece has made good on its promise to buy F-35 stealth fighters, confirming today that it will buy an initial batch of 20 of the aircraft at a cost of around $3.5 billion. The decision is an important step in the modernization of the Hellenic Air Force, which has recently inducted other new combat aircraft types, while plans to retire older jets have also been unveiled. The move also has a particular resonance in terms of Greece’s tense relations with regional rival Turkey, which was booted out of the F-35 program, after buying Russian-made S-400 air defense systems.
F-35A

Greece Buying F-35s Widens Qualitative Gap With Turkey

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 26, 2024

General Atomics has told TWZ that it’s looking at adapting its ship-based Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and Advanced Arresting Gear, EMALS and AAG, respectively, for use from land bases. While the company first developed EMALS and AAG for the U.S. Navy’s Ford class aircraft carriers, the growing interest in expeditionary campaigns ashore is driving new thinking about how to operate aircraft without access to large traditional runways.
F-35

Ford Class Carrier’s EMALS Catapults, AAG Arrester Gear Eyed For Land Bases

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 23, 2024

Yemen Port Strike by Israeli Air Force
F-35

Details Of Israel’s Long-Range Strike That Decimated Yemeni Port Emerge

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jul 21, 2024

An active expendable decoy, or AED capability has been tested and integrated on U.S. F-35 stealth fighters, resulting in a decision to field this operationally. The move apparently involves the British-made Leonardo BriteCloud, a small active-radar decoy that we have discussed at length in the past and which promises to enhance the F-35’s ability to defeat various types of air defense system threats.
F-35

F-35s Set To Get Missile-Luring Expendable Active Decoys

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 18, 2024

Italy has announced plans to equip the F-35B stealth fighters operated by its naval air arm with the Kongsberg Joint Strike Missile (JSM), among other weapons. Details of the armament for the Italian Navy’s short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35Bs comes as the aircraft take part for the first time in the large-scale Pitch Black drills in Australia, aboard the aircraft carrier Cavour.
F-35B

Italy’s Carrier-Capable F-35B Stealth Fighters To Get New Advanced Weapons

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 16, 2024

F-35 deliveries will resume with a limited TR-3 software load.
F-35

F-35 Deliveries Finally Cleared To Resume, New Jets Will Be Limited To Training

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 12, 2024

Retired Marine Col. Charles Del Pizzo offered his version of the 2023 mishap in which his F-35B stealth fighter kept flying for 12 minutes after he ejected.
F-35B

F-35B Pilot Seen Leaping From Jet In Japan

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 12, 2024

The Pentagon has made a new announcement about the first forward-deployments of Air Force F-35As and F-15EXs to Japan, as well as changes to the Marine Corps' F-35B force in that country.
F-35A

USAF F-35As To Be Based In Japan Replacing Wild Weasel F-16s

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 3, 2024

A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter has begun wearing some decidedly non-standard markings, very likely the most flamboyant we’ve seen on the Joint Strike Fighter so far. The upper fuselage and top surfaces of the wing the F-35B in question, operated by Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, “Bats,” is emblazoned with a stylized motif showing the night-flying mammal, and has recently been captured by photographers at its base, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan’s Yamaguchi prefecture.
F-35B

F-35B Dons Huge Bat Insignia On Its Back

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 20, 2024