New U.S. F-35 fighter dubbed "Lightning II"

[Roger LaFrance]

New U.S. F-35 fighter dubbed "Lightning II"
Fri Jul 7, 2006 12:45pm ET

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[-] Text [+] By Andrea Shalal-Esa
WASHINGTON, July 7 (Reuters) - The stealthy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter being developed by the United States and eight other countries is to be named the "Lightning II," in homage to two earlier fighters.
The supersonic F-35 is being built by a team led by Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) at a cost of $276 billion. It is the costliest U.S. weapons program ever.
"The F-35 Lightning II will be the centerpiece of airpower in the 21st century for America and our allies," Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said in a statement on Friday.
Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed is the prime contractor developing three variants of the single-engine plane.
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley announced the name at Lockheed's Fort Worth, Texas plant, saying it represented the fruit of over a hundred years of flight and aerial combat.
The F-35's name echoes that of the sleek World War Two-era Lockheed P-38 Lightning, which scored the most aerial victories of any U.S. fighter in the Pacific. Designed as a high-altitude interceptor, the twin-propellor P-38 was also used for dive bombing, level bombing, ground strafing and photo reconnaissance.
English Electric, which later become BAE Systems (BA.L: Quote, Profile, Research), built a supersonic twin-engined jet in the mid-1950s that was also called Lightning. It could reach speeds of 1,500 miles per hour and remained in service until 1988.
"The F-35 Lightning II will carry on the legacy of two of the greatest and most capable fighter aircraft of all time," said Ralph Heath, president of Lockheed's aeronautics unit. Continued...

Roger & Amanda La France

[Alex N]

Yup, I was at the unveiling and inauguration today (via live feed). She's
an attractive aircraft. Lightning II isn't that bad of a name, but the
crowd was a bit taken aback by it at first.

Alex Nieves

Post by Roger LaFrance
New U.S. F-35 fighter dubbed "Lightning II"
Fri Jul 7, 2006 12:45pm ET
Email This Article | Print This Article | Reprints
[-] Text [+] By Andrea Shalal-Esa
WASHINGTON, July 7 (Reuters) - The stealthy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
being developed by the United States and eight other countries is to be
named the "Lightning II," in homage to two earlier fighters.
The supersonic F-35 is being built by a team led by Lockheed Martin Corp.
(LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) at a cost of $276 billion. It is the
costliest U.S. weapons program ever.
"The F-35 Lightning II will be the centerpiece of airpower in the 21st
century for America and our allies," Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England
said in a statement on Friday.
Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed is the prime contractor developing three
variants of the single-engine plane.
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley announced the name at
Lockheed's Fort Worth, Texas plant, saying it represented the fruit of over
a hundred years of flight and aerial combat.
The F-35's name echoes that of the sleek World War Two-era Lockheed P-38
Lightning, which scored the most aerial victories of any U.S. fighter in
the Pacific. Designed as a high-altitude interceptor, the twin-propellor
P-38 was also used for dive bombing, level bombing, ground strafing and
photo reconnaissance.
English Electric, which later become BAE Systems (BA.L: Quote, Profile,
Research), built a supersonic twin-engined jet in the mid-1950s that was
also called Lightning. It could reach speeds of 1,500 miles per hour and
remained in service until 1988.
"The F-35 Lightning II will carry on the legacy of two of the greatest and
most capable fighter aircraft of all time," said Ralph Heath, president of
Lockheed's aeronautics unit. Continued...
Roger & Amanda La France