The F-35 was conceived as a relatively low-cost design of [M]three fifth-generation fighters, CTOL F-35A JSF, STOVL F-35B JSF, CV F-35C JSF[/M], for the US Navy, Air Force, and Marines , as encompassing three aircraft in the same project mitigated the high development costs compared to the three separate ones.
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a stealth-capable, single-seat, multipurpose fifth-generation fighter aircraft developed under the Joint Strike Fighter program to replace the F-16, A-10, F / A-18 and AV-8B in ground attack, reconnaissance and air defense missions. This aircraft was designed in three different versions: the F-35A for conventional take-off and landing (CTOL), the F-35B capable of perform short takeoffs and vertical landings (STOVL) and the F-35C which is a naval variant capable of operating on aircraft carriers.
The F-35 is the descendant of the X-35 introduced by Lockheed-Martin in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, in which it competed against the X-32 proposed by Boeing. On October 24, 2001, the X-35 prototype was announced as the winner of the competition, which entailed a two hundred billion dollar ($ 200 billion) contract to build the new aircraft. In addition to the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey, the program is funded by additional funds. A group of aerospace companies have collaborated in its design and manufacture. led by Lockheed Martin, with BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman as primary partners. The F-35 made its maiden flight on December 15, 2006.
The United States intends to purchase a total of 2,443 F-35 aircraft, worth an estimated $ 323 billion, making this the most expensive defense program in history. The United States projected the F-35 to have a unit cost of between $ 89 million and $ 200 million for the projected number of aircraft produced by 2010.