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Beast Mode: How the F-35 Stealth Fighter Bolts on 22,000 Pounds of Bombs

Beast Mode” lets the F-35 carry up to 22,000 pounds by adding external weapons to its internal bays, massively boosting ...
Task & Purpose

Why does the US have F-35s flying anti-cartel missions in the Caribbean?

F-35 fighters are designed to fight a high-tech war against a near-peer adversary. The US military is using them to combat drug smugglers. By Jeff Schogol Published Sep 19, 2025 4:07 PM EDT The F-35 ...
The National Interest

The F-35 Lightning Fighter Can Do Anything—Except Win a Dogfight

With small control surfaces and no thrust vectoring, the F-35 cannot change direction rapidly in close-range engagements. While hyper maneuverability has become a cornerstone of modern fighter jet ...
The National Interest

The F-35 Lightning II Is Still the Greatest Fighter Jet in the World

As of August 2025, Lockheed Martin, the aircraft’s manufacturer, has delivered more than 1,215 F-35 stealth fighter jets of all types. Today, the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet is the most ...
The Aviationist

Switzerland Faces F-35 Procurement Uncertainty Amid Rising Costs and Tariff Pressures

Bern reviews fighter jet plans after U.S. cost hike, legal dispute over “fixed price,” and public protests against steep import tariffs. Switzerland’s long-planned acquisition of the Lockheed Martin F ...
The Aviationist

JPO and Lockheed Martin Finalize F-35 Contract for Lots 18 and 19

Lockheed Martin will build up to 296 F-35s as part of Lots 18 and 19, with first deliveries in 2026. Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) announced they reached a final agreement ...