Is America’s $100 Million 5th Generation Fighter Jet — F-35 Really Worth It?
By: Joshua Romero
Tags: United States, Engineering, Economy, Technology, Defense

Is America’s $100 Million 5th Generation Fighter Jet — F-35 Really Worth It?

The United States Department of Defense (DOD) largest procurement in history is the F-35 Lightning II with different versions suitable for the needs of the US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. The Defense Department is expected to procure a total of 3,000 F-35s while Allied Nations are expected to purchase hundreds with eight nations are cost-sharing partners with the United States.

PHOTO: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II is a multi-variant and multi-role fifth-generation fighter jet, combined with advanced stealth, and fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operation, and advanced sustainment. It is the replacement of the Air Force’s 4th Generation Fighter Jet, F-16.

The US has never learned the lessons of the downfall of the B-2 Program and still working on improving its previous ventures into stealth technology with the F-22 Raptor and F-117 Nighthawk, a carrier-capable fighter to replace the FA-18 of the US Navy and perhaps would take on the challenge of vertical landings from the British AV-8B Harrier — taking on all of these advance capabilities into one aircraft was never easy and cheap project, the program was even more complex and expensive apart from its goal of a cost-saving measure. These planes are being developed as a joint venture between the US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps in a single plane with different variants tailored to the needs of each branch of the military — the program is named the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), and its goal was to produce a next-generation fighter that could replace fighter-strike and ground-attack capability aircraft for the United States Military and its Allies.

Unlike the F-22 Raptor— the US Air Force exclusive plane, the F-35 would be commercially available, the Joint Strike Fighter program served as a competition between McDonald Douglas, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing but only Lockheed and Boeing pursued on to develop a prototype as a finalist for the competition, both are eager to win to what was called the biggest defense contract ever signed.

“Some people say the F-35 is not worth the cost because less expensive legacy platforms can fill the fighter and strike role as well if they had the equivalent computer, sensor, and weapons upgrades,” said Brad Curran, industry principal for Aerospace, Defense & Security at Frost & Sullivan told The National Interest. “Others say only the F-35 has the combination of speed, maneuverability, stealth and flexibility to survive and win against today’s fighter and air defense threats,” Curran added.

So Lockheed ultimately won the contract, what now?

Lockheed Martin impressed the Joint Strike Fighter program demonstrator with its Lift-System to increase the reliability for X-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL).

PHOTO: Lockheed Martin

The engine thrust once again exits a single exhaust nozzle during normal flight, but when the demonstration begins, the X-35B was capable of transformer-liked changes — with patches on the top and bottom of the aircraft revealing two counter-rotating fans which are made possible by Rolls-Royce patented shaft-driven Lift-Fan propulsion system and an engine that can swivel 90 degrees when in short takeoff/vertical landing mode. Rolls-Royce is subcontracted to Pratt & Whitney on the F-35 engine to provide the Lift System for the Lightning II, another two little doors open beneath the wings exposing two additional exhaust ports that control the planes maneuver. As the plane begins to swivel downward, the nozzle, produce by the 3-Bearing Swivel Module (3BSM) at the rear of the aircraft would begin to pivot and transitioned the remaining thrust of the jet engine from horizontal to vertical. However, the lift-fan has experienced component failures on the propulsion systems, the same issues that plagued the British AV-8B Harrier II — the Lift-Fan plays a critical part during a vertical landing for its role in stabilization and control.

PHOTO: Lockheed Martin

But the most part that catapulted Lockheed Martin’s prototype was the aircraft’s ability for vertical landing and supersonic flight — this is the kind of ability the Joint Strike Fighter program is looking for. Making the F-35B Lightning II a worthy successor to the British AV-8B Harrier II, an aircraft amounting to $39 Million in today’s amount.

The F-35 comes with three variants, each tailored to the needs of the different branches of the US Military. The F-35A is customized for the US Air Force and was designed to take-off from conventional runways allowing it to scrap heavy equipment needed for the F-35B, the Marine Corps variant. The Marine do no operate out of large aircraft carriers like the Navy. Then here comes the F-35C which is designed to satisfy the Navy’s requirements — having wings that are 40% larger than its sister variants with landing gears much heavier and stronger, both of these are needed in order to land and take off successfully from an aircraft carriers without the need of vertical propulsion like the F-35B, the larger wings not only allow the F-35 to have the largest fuel capacity of the three variants but also give much better lift at a slower speed. The F-35C also incorporates folding wingtips to allow the plane to occupy limited space inside the ships.

These expansions of three variants have been a massive source to the ballooning cost of the project for the three different branches of the military.

Why Is F-35 the most feared among all aircraft?

The ideal analogy of arms war is, “who sees first, shots first” but this is not the case with the F-35 Lightning II, the biggest factor that contributes as to why the F-35 is so advance is its onboard sensors and stealth — this makes the aircraft stands out from the competition. The speed of sensors and computer-guided systems have been integrated with the user interface of the aircraft unlike any other plane in history while sharing intelligence with the entire force.

The infrared glass window installed in the cockpit is a sapphire, a very expensive gemstone.

It is a short-wave infrared and high-definition television that contains infrared imaging and tracking equipment of the aircraft and this is called Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) — it provides a multi-function system for precision air-to-air and air-to-surface targeting capability. The imaging data from the sensors can be feed into the pilot's helmet along with other data from the sensors in the ground, which has been enhanced with augmented reality technology and gives the pilot virtual situational awareness, it also allows the pilot to look straight from the aircraft without the need to wear night-vision goggles.

PHOTO: Lockheed Martin

On the other hand, detection is just one step of its goals for combat effectiveness, and not being detected is just as important. Incorporating stealth was another challenge and much likely the source of unexpected rising costs. Just so be clear: Stealth does not make the planes invisible but it delays the enemy’s detection.

The highly advanced and next-generation F-35 is a combination of all fighter jets the humankind has introduced because of its transformational capability, these are the highlights as to why the F-35 a successor of all aircraft and unique from the rest.

VLO Stealth

With stealth designed in from day one, the F-35 has an unmatched ability to evade enemy detection and enter contested airspace.

Weapons Capacity

The F-35 carries weapons internally in a stealth configuration, or externally in permissible environments with greater than 18,000 pounds of total ordinance.

Supersonic Speed and Extended Range

The Pratt & Whitney F135 is the most powerful fighter engine in the world. At Mach 1.6, the F-35 is a long-range, supersonic fighter, even with a full complement of internal weapons and fuel.

Sensor Fusion

F-35’s advanced sensor fusion creates a single integrated picture of the battlefield that greatly enhances awareness, survivability, and lethality.

Network Enabled Ops

The F-35 serves as an information and communications gateway, sharing its operational picture with the ground, sea, and air assets.

Electronic Warfare System

Advanced EW capabilities to locate/track enemy forces, jam radars, and disrupt attacks.

The F-35 program has been heavily criticized due to its ballooning cost, and that is undeniably true. However, due to mounting expenses, continual delays and breakdowns, and high operating costs, the Lightning is likely to serve alongside its predecessors for a long time to come.