The Lockheed F-35C Lightning II

The F-35C Lightning II

The F-35C Lightning II is the U.S. Navy’s first low-observable carrier-based aviation platform. The F-35 is being purchased to replace the F/A-18C/D Hornet as the carrier strike group’s primary offensive fighter for aerial defense and close air support.

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps' carrier variant has larger wings and more robust landing gear than the other variants, making it suitable for catapult launches and fly-in arrestments aboard naval aircraft carriers. Its wingtips fold to allow for more room on the deck on the carriers while deployed. The CV has the greatest internal fuel capacity of the F-35 variants, and, like the F-35B, the C-variant uses probe and drogue refueling.

Following an intense four-year competition, the U.S. Department of Defense on 26 October 2001, named the Lockheed Martin lead Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) team as the winner of the contract to develop the F-35 JSF.

Basic Stats (F-35C):

DIMENSIONS
Wing span - 43 ft (13.1 m)
Length - 51.5 ft (15.7 m)
Height - 14.7 ft (4.48 m)

WEIGHT
Empty - 34,581 lb (15,686 kg)
Max takeoff weight - 70,000 lb (31,800 kg) class

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed - Mach 1.6 (1,200 mph)
Range - 1,200 nm

Armament
Internal weapons: The F-35C can carry more than 5,000 lbs of weapons internally.
External weapons: The F-35C can carry more than 18,000 lbs of weapons combined internally and externally.
Bombs: The F-35C can carry Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) GPS-assisted precision-guided bombs, Paveway-series laser-guided bombs, and AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW) precision glide-bombs.
Missiles: The F-35C can carry AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM).
AARGM-ER: This supersonic, air-launched tactical missile system provides counter-air-defense capability.
SiAW: This weapon provides air-to-ground strike capability.