USA - Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II 18-5381

Photographer's remark
(12.3.2023, 18:02 CET)
The Most Advanced Fighter Jet in the World, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lighting II! This was the first-ever visit of a Stealth Aircraft and the F-35 to India. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather 5th-generation stealth multirole combat aircraft intended to perform air superiority and strike missions. The aircraft has three main variants: the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A, the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B, and the carrier-based (CV/CATOBAR) F-35C. The F-35 first flew in 2006 and the F-35A entered service with the U.S. Air Force in August 2016. The U.S. plans to buy 2,456 F-35s through 2044, which will represent the bulk of the crewed tactical aviation of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps for several decades. The aircraft is planned to be a cornerstone of NATO and U.S.-allied air power and to operate until 2070. The F-35 is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 after-burning turbofan. It produces a dry thrust of 28,000 lbf (125 kN) and can increase that to 43,000 lbf (191 kN) with the afterburner. The aircraft can carry 2,600 kg of weapons payload internally and an additional 6,800 kg externally. It is fitted with the most advanced radar, avionics, sensors, and electronic warfare suite. When I heard that the F-35 was coming to Aero India 2023 I was ecstatic! I was expecting it to be on static display with other aircraft but a few days before the event the F-35 Demonstration Team revealed that two aircraft were coming; one for static display and one for aerial display. The American Fighter Jet Demonstration teams are famous worldwide for their splendid aerial displays. The jets arrived on the afternoon of 13th February 2023 and were to showcase their insane capabilities on the following days. Major Kristin "Beo" Wolfe, the Commander, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, dazzled all the aviation geeks and spectators present at the Yelahanka Airforce Station with her breath-taking performance. Beo, with her F-35, took an already outstanding air show experience to another level. The roar of the F135 Engine, the High-G Maneuvers, and the High-speed Aileron Rolls leave an unforgettable impression on you. I enjoyed shooting this aircraft so much and was genuinely sad when it was over. I hope the F-35 Demo Team enjoyed the show as much as we did and plan to return to India as soon as an opportunity arises. I have read that Major Wolfe has flown the F-22 Raptor for many hundred hours. I wouldn’t mind if she convinces the F-22 Demo team to tag along for Aero India 2025. ;)

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