Canada inks F-35 deal with US: Everything you need to know about world's only 5th Generation multirole stealth

In the latest development, Canada is all set to buy US-made F-35 fighter jets. The deal was announced on Monday, as the Canadian government has confirmed to purchase 88 F-35 fighter jets from the US-based Lockheed Martin Corp. The first four planes will arrive in 2026, and the fleet would reach its maximum operational capacity between 2032 and 2034. This step is taken as Canada seeks to upgrade its ageing fleet.Defence Minister Anita Anand said at a news conference on Monday that the $14.2 billion ($19 billion Canadian) deal was the largest investment in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 30 years.

The F-35 fighter aircraft are operational with all three forces of the US, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Take a look at the features of this multirole fighter jet aircraft:

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft designed for air superiority and strike missions.

It can also conduct electronic warfare as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Lockheed Martin is the primary F-35 contractor, with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as principal partners.

The aircraft comes with three main variants: The F-35A is a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft, the F-35B is a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft, and the F-35C is a carrier-based (CV/CATOBAR) aircraft.

Developmental origins of the F-35 fighter aircraft

The F-35 is the product of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, which was the merger of various combat aircraft programs from the 1980s-the 1990s. This is the second fifth-generation fighter aircraft to enter into the US services and also the first operational supersonic STOVL stealth fighter.

The F-35 was intended to replace ageing fighter inventories of the United States Air Force's F-16s and A-10s, the United States Navy's F/A-18s, the United States Marine Corps' AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18s, and the United Kingdom's Harrier GR.7s and Sea Harriers. There is an ageing fleet of tactical aircraft all over the world and F-35 was specifically designed to address this issue.

The F-35 first flew in 2006 and entered service with the US Marine Corps F-35B in July 2015, followed by the US Air Force F-35A in August 2016, and the US Navy F-35C in February 2019.

General characteristics of the F-35 fighter aircraft

Thrust:43,000 pounds
Wingspan:35 feet (10.7 meters)
Length:51 feet (15.7 meters)
Height:14 feet (4.38 meters)
Payload:18,000 pounds (8,160 kilograms)
Speed:Mach 1.6

Features of the F-35 fighter aircraft

1. VLO Stealth: With low observable technology stealth design, the F-35 has an unmatched ability to evade enemy detection and enter contested airspace. It is very less visible to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection methods which makes it a perfect weapon in the military camouflage arsenal.

2. Supersonic speed and extended range: It has a speed of 1.6 Mach which makes it a long-range supersonic fighter jet. It is equipped with the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine which is claimed to be the most powerful engine in the world.

3. Sensor Fusion: F-35’s advanced sensor fusion creates a single integrated picture of the battlefield that greatly enhances awareness, survivability and lethality.

4. Weapons Capacity: The F-35 carries weapons internally in a stealth configuration, or externally in permissible environments with greater than 18,000 pounds of total ordinance.

5. Electronic Warfare System: Advanced EW capabilities to locate/track enemy forces, jam radars and disrupt attacks.

6. Network Enabled Ops: The F-35 serves as an information and communications gateway, sharing its operational picture with the ground, sea and air assets.

The F-35's ability to collect, analyse, and share data is a powerful force multiplier that improves all airborne, surface, and ground assets in the battlespace.

The aircraft is capable of transforming the entire battlespace with its multi-role potential of close air support, strategic attack, electronic warfare, air superiority, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.