Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter named Lightning II

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Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter named Lightning II

Fort Worth (Texas), July 10 (IANS) Lockheed Martin's F-35 joint strike fighter has been officially named Lightning II in a ceremony at the aerospace major's headquarters here.

The name echoes that of two formidable fighters from the past: the World War II-era Lockheed P-38 Lightning and the mid-1950s Lightning supersonic jet built by English Electric.

'The F-35 Lightning II will carry on the legacy of the two of the greatest and most capable fighter aircraft of all time,' said Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. president Ralph D. Heath.

'Just as the P-38 and the British Lightning were at the top of their class during their day, the F-35 will redefine multi-role fighter capability in the 21st century,' he added.

Attendees at the event included US Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, who announced the F-35's new name. Also in attendance were representatives from the eight nations that are partnering with the US in the F-35's development: Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Turkey.

'The F-35 will be the centerpiece of airpower in the 21st century for America and our allies,' Secretary England said, adding: 'Congratulations to the talented team of aerospace workers both in the United States and from our many international partners on reaching this important milestone.'

According to Moseley, 'this aircraft represents the fruits of lessons learned over a hundred years of flight and aerial combat. We're excited about bringing it into our inventory, and war fighters around the globe are excited about flying it in defense of freedom.'

English Electric, maker of the Lightning jet, later became BAE Systems, a principal industrial partner on the F-35 programme. With its afterburners lit, the twin-engine jet could reach speeds of 1,500 miles per hour. Like the F-35, the Lightning in its day represented a profound leap ahead in capability compared to the aircraft it replaced. It remained in service until 1988, largely because of its exceptional performance.

Likewise, the P-38 Lightning was built by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin, the F-35 programme's prime contractor. During World War II, the P-38 scored the most aerial victories of any US Army Air Force fighter in the Pacific theatre.

Designed as a high-altitude interceptor, the sleek P-38 evolved into a versatile aircraft that was also used for dive-bombing, level bombing, ground strafing and photoreconnaissance missions.

The F-35 carries on both the Lightning name and its tradition of excellence. The Lightning II is a fifth generation, supersonic stealth fighter designed to replace a wide range of existing aircraft, including AV-8B Harriers, A-10s, F-16s, F/A-18 Hornets and the British Harrier GR.7 and the Sea Harrier.

The F-35 will be the most powerful single-engine fighter ever made.

Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.

The inaugural flight of the first F-35, a pre-production conventional takeoff and landing variant, is planned for later this year. Of the 15 F-35s that will undergo flight-testing, seven will be used for static testing and another eight will validate the aircraft's radar signature.

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Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter named Lightning II