Documents
United States Lockheed Martin
F-35A Lightning II
Fifth-generation single-engine stealth multirole fighter and the most-produced 5th-gen aircraft in the world. The conventional take-off A variant combines low observability, sensor fusion and networked warfare for 20 operator nations.
In service since 2016 · 20 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
1,960
km/h
2,200
km range
15,240
m ceiling
8,160
kg payload
0.87
T/W
💲 ≈ $82,500,000, Lot 15-17 flyaway cost, F-35A
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 20 operators
In service since 2016. Status: active · ~1,100 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$206M – $289M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Overview
The F-35A is the conventional-takeoff variant of the largest defense program in history, and the aircraft that defines what a fifth-generation fighter means: very-low-observable shaping, internal weapons carriage, and, above all, sensor fusion. Its AN/APG-81 AESA radar, 360-degree Distributed Aperture System and helmet-mounted display merge into a single tactical picture, which the jet then shares across the force via MADL and Link 16. In practice the F-35 acts as much as a flying sensor-and-command node as a shooter.
More than 1,100 airframes serve with some twenty nations, making it the most-produced stealth aircraft ever and the de facto backbone of Western tactical air power. Unit flyaway cost has fallen to roughly $82 million, below many fourth-generation rivals.
During the 2026 Iran war, US and Israeli F-35s flew the opening nights of the strike campaign, using their low observability to work inside dense air-defense coverage, the type's largest combat employment to date and a heavily scrutinised real-world test of stealth against a layered, modern IADS.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the F-35A Lightning II can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Powerplant
The F-35A Lightning II's engine has its own full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 1,960 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 1.6 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 2,200 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 1,240 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 15,240 m |
| Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up. On a standalone engine record, this is the engine's own thrust divided by its dry weight, the standard figure of merit for jet engines. | 0.87 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 25 mm GAU-22/A rotary cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 10 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 8,160 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | AN/ASQ-239 Barracuda EW suite, chaff, flares |
|---|---|
| Signature reduction Radar cross-section shaping, RAM coatings, IR suppression. Actual RCS values are classified. | Very low observable airframe shaping with fiber-mat RAM; internal weapons bays |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 15.67 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 10.7 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 4.38 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 13,290 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 22,470 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 1 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 afterburning turbofan |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 1 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 191 kN |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 10,600 L |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | AN/APG-81 AESA |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | AN/AAQ-40 EOTS, AN/AAQ-37 DAS 360° IR, helmet-mounted display |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | MADL, Link 16 |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $82,500,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 1,100 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 20 |
Specifications compiled from public Lockheed Martin and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 Head-to-head comparisons
F-35A Lightning II vs
Su-57 
J-20 
Eurofighter Typhoon 
JAS 39E Gripen 
KF-21 Boramae Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II has a maximum speed of 1,960 km/h.
What is the range of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II has a maximum range of 2,200 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II can carry up to 8,160 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II weigh? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II has a combat weight of 22,470 kg.
How many crew does the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II require? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II's primary weapon is the 25 mm GAU-22/A rotary cannon.
What engine does the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II use? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II is powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 afterburning turbofan.
What is the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II used for? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II is a fighter aircraft typically used for multirole combat, air superiority, deep strike, isr.
How many countries operate the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II is operated by 20 countries.
How much does the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II cost? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II has an approximate unit cost of 82,500,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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