F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is the name for a family of fighter aircraft#multirole fighters being built in three versions:

• F-35A Lightning II: Conventional takeoff and landing, not carrier-capable, specifically for United States Air Force requirements. Will replace A-10 Warthog and F-16 Fighting Falcon; complements F-22 Raptor
• F-35B Lightning II: Short takeoff and vertical landing, meeting the environmental requirements of shipboard use, but not catapulted. To be used by the Italian Navy, U.K. Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, United States Marine Corps; will replace assorted versions of the Harrier aircraft.
• F-35C Lightning II: Conventional takeoff and landing, carrier-capable and catapult-launched, for United States Navy requirements. Will replace F-18 Hornet but not necessarily F-18 Super Hornet

JSF, in U.S. doctrine, is the "low" end of the fighter mix, the "high" end being the F-22 Raptor. Both the F-22 and F-35 are considered fifth generation jet fighters.

Avionics

As does the F-22, the F-35 will have a AESA phased-array radar, but a different one, the AN/APG-81 from the F-22's AN/APG-77. The two systems have significant commonality, but the F-35 probably has more ground targeting capability. The F-22 has more air combat and electronic warfare ability in its radar.

One unique feature of the F-35 is the distributed aperture system, a set of six infrared cameras on the top, side, rear, etc., of the aircraft, so the pilot will have no blind spots; every possible view can be displayed on the "glass cockpit' screen.