[Miscguy]

Joint Strike Fighter is a program designed to develop a family of stealthy, next- generation replacement strike fighter aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, and the U.K. Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. The supersonic JSF evolved from the Joint Advanced Strike Technology program, which entered the concept design definition research phase in December 1994. The JSF program entered its current phase, the Concept Demonstration Phase, in November 1996, when two contractors, Lockheed Martin and Boeing, were selected to build and fly concept-demonstration aircraft. A down-select to one contractor or contractor team for engineering and manufacturing development is scheduled for fall 2001, following flight testing which will conclude the same year. All three Lockheed Martin JSF demonstrators have completed government-mandated flight-test requirements. The X-35A (U.S. Air Force), X-35B (U.S. Marine Corps/U.K. Royal Navy and Royal Air Force) and X-35C (U.S. Navy) all demonstrated aerial refueling, handling qualities, acceleration and deceleration, formation flying at different altitudes, and logged many other achievements, including supersonic flight. Additionally, the X-35C carrier variant made the first-ever transcontinental flight of an X plane, completed 250 practice carrier landings at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. and was flown by eight pilots from the U.S. and U.K. . The short-takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) X-35B, with its unique shaft-driven lift-fan propulsion system, achieved the JSF program’s first vertical takeoff and vertical landing on June 23, 2001. It went on to complete 17 vertical takeoff/hover/vertical landing missions before fulfilling all government requirements in subsequent flight testing.

F-35B
The F-35B for the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.K. Royal Air Force and Royal Navy employs a short-takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) capability. This takeoff and landing operation succeeds through a very innovative technology known as the shaft-driven lift fan propulsion system.

Besides the propulsion system, the STOVL variant differs only slightly from the U.S. Air Force variant.

It carries a refueling probe fitted into the right side of the forward fuselage, rather than the U.S. Air Force standard refueling receptacle normally located on the top surface of the aircraft.


The STOVL variant carries no internal gun, though a missionized external gun is an option.


It shares all the electronic gear of the U.S. Air Force variant, and virtually an identical cockpit layout except for a lever to switch between wingborne and jetborne modes.


Performance and stealth characteristics are also very similar.
The STOVL variant, designed to replace the AV-8B Harrier, has more than twice the range on internal fuel, operates at supersonic conditions, and houses internal weapons.

I did an ECON report on Lockheed Martin and its future prospects for revenue 3 years ago. The X-35 was just completing vertical take off testing around that time. Since then it was awarded the contract and has more than trippled its stock price i had bought it at. I only wish it had been real money i had invested...