Here's What You Need to Remember: The leading objection to the F-35 jet has inarguably been the program’s colossal costs over the years. While costs remain a concern, there is some good news: the first F-35 jets are fully equipped and already seeing combat deployments, while costs per model have dropped significantly in recent years.

It has now been just over five years since the introduction of the F-35 Lightning II. Despite its rocky start, Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation stealth fighter has weathered no shortage of setbacks and pointed criticisms to carve out a niche for itself in the U.S. military.  

There are five reasons why the F-35 aircraft remains one of the world’s top fighter jets. 

Versatility 

The term “operational versatility” is nothing if not overused in the defense commentary sphere, but the F-35 jet is one such case where it is fully warranted. The F-35 jet is designed for several different configurations to fulfill a wide range of mission types. The “stealth” configuration contains four AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles for air-to-air missions, or a mixture of four AIM-120’s/GBU-31 JDAM “smart bombs” for air-to-ground missions, all loaded into the F-35 jet’s internal armaments bay to minimize radar-cross section. Then there is “beast mode,” which offers fourteen AIM-120 missiles and two AIM-9X missiles for air missions, or six GBU-31’s along with four AIM-120’s/9X’s for ground missions, stored in a combination of external and internal bays. As the name implies, “beast mode” sacrifices stealth performance for the maximum possible firepower that the F-35 jet can deliver.  

Interoperability  

Called a “quarterback” in the sky by one of its demonstration pilots, the F-35 jet’s myriad onboard sensors are capable of generating a real-time picture of the battlefield. The F-35 jet can then feed this live information to nearby friendly units and operation centers, contributing to a shared data network generated from first-hand information. The F-35 jet is, in this way, a force multiplier: it can enhance the capabilities of friendly air, ground, and surface units by utilizing its advanced sensor suite to provide information that they wouldn’t have access to otherwise.  

Stealth  

The F-35 jet boasts an airframe specially designed to generate a minimal radar-cross section, also coated in radar-absorbent materials. The F-35 jet is generally thought to be stealthier than Lockheed’s F-22 Raptor—arguably the gold standard for fifth-generation stealth performance—from the front, offering an RCS so low that it is often compared to that of a metal golf ball. This makes the F-35 jet an apt choice for penetration missions deep into enemy airspace.  

Electronic Warfare 

The F-35 jet boasts an AN/APG-81 system active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, boasting powerful electronic countermeasures capability. The APG-81 is capable of tracking multiple moving targets at over 150 kilometers and rigorous mapping, as well as offering unique profiles for different mission modes. Meanwhile, the AN/ASQ-239 countermeasures suite brings a radar warning receiver, jamming capabilities, as well as rapid response and situational awareness features. These are just two examples from what is one of the most cutting-edge avionics packages ever installed onto a stealth fighter.

Availability 

The leading objection to the F-35 jet has inarguably been the program’s colossal costs over the years. While costs remain a concern, there is some good news: the first F-35 jets are fully equipped and already seeing combat deployments, while costs per model have dropped significantly in recent years. According to fresh estimates, the F-35 jet is now not only cheaper than leading U.S. fourth-generation fighters at around $77.5 million, but significantly cheaper than competing allied models like the EU’s Eurofighter. What does all this mean? Not only is the U.S. government getting a better deal but the F-35 jet can more capably compete as an export product.  

Mark Episkopos is a national security reporter for the National Interest. This article first appeared last year.

Image: Flickr.