Stealth War At Sea: Why The Navy’s F-35C May Fly to 2070

by Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

(Washington DC) The now operational F-35C has made history as a first-of-its-kind, aircraft carrier-launched 5th-generation stealth fighter, a development that changed the maritime power projection abilities of the U.S. Navy.

A “Naval Aviation Vision” document explained that the aircraft was specifically engineered for landing on carriers with all-weather coatings and specially configured landing gear to enable a safe landing.

The aircraft was developed with a broad wingspan and ruggedized components for harsh maritime conditions where rough seas, rain, wind, fog, and snow can complicate efforts to land. Its 51-foot wingspan makes it the largest of the three F-35 variants.

Much like the F-35A and F-35B short-take-off-and-landing aircraft, the F-35C relies upon advanced sensors and AI-enabled computing to gather, organize, and present time-sensitive critical information to pilots about altitude, speed, navigation, targeting, and threats.

The aircraft travels with a full suite of weapons including 5,000-pound, GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions along with air-to-air and laser-guided missiles. The F-35C can travel with 19,000 pounds of fuel and 18,000 pounds of weapons.

The aircraft can reach speeds up to Mach 1.6 and travel more than 1,200 nautical miles.