Atlantic Ocean. (December 9, 2023) The U.S. Navy now launches the most sophisticated and deadly fifth generation aircraft from aircraft carriers around the world. In this photo by MC3 August Clawson, Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Aircraft Handling) 1st Class Michael Duffy, from Philadelphia, holds an F-35C Lightning II from Strike Fighter Squadron 147 on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington while at sea.

The F-35 Lightning II is a multirole, stealthy, all-weather fighter that is now the standard attack jet produced by the multinational Joint Strike Fighter program. The Lightning II is designed for both air superiority and strike missions and will be the cornerstone of NATO and U.S.-allied air power until 2070. It is also able to provide electronic warfare including intelligence collection, surveillance, and reconnaissance. In addition to carrier landings, the F-35B variant provides short takeoff and vertical landing capability for the Marines.

The Lightning II replaces the A-10 Warthog and F-16 Eagle platforms with better penetrating capability to strike heavily defended targets. The plane carries an astonishing 22,000 pounds of weapons on six fuselage pylons and two internal bays for stealth. With a maximum speed of Mach 1.6 and a range of 1,700 miles, the Lightning II is equipped with a suite of AIM air-to-air missiles, the AGM series air-to-surface  munitions, and stand-off attack weapons. For bombing missions, the Lightning II can deploy precision guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), the GBU series glide bombs, and even a modified nuclear weapon.

The Joint Strike Fighter program awarded the contract for the F-35 to Lockheed Martin with principal partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. The plane will be acquired by the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway as the NATO standard fighter.

With the Navy launching “Lightning” from its carriers, America will achieve air superiority anywhere in the world.