Aircraft & UAVs

F-35B Lightning II

Also known as
  • F-35B
  • F35B
  • Lightning II STOVL
  • Joint Strike Fighter STOVL
  • JSF STOVL

The F-35B Lightning II is the short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, pairing stealth sensors and internal weapons carriage with a lift-fan propulsion system for amphibious ships and austere sites. Marine and allied F-35Bs have been documented in Afghanistan combat strikes, anti-Daesh missions from HMS Queen Elizabeth, and U.S. 5th Fleet flight operations during the 2026 phase of the 2020 United States-Iran Conflict.

F-35B Lightning II, STOVL stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: USS Tripoli Conducts Flight Ops

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
STOVL stealth multirole fighter
Service note
2010s-present
Designer
Lockheed Martin, with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as major program partners
Designed
Joint Strike Fighter program selection in 2001; F-35B developed for STOVL operations
Produced
2000s-present
Developed from
Lockheed Martin X-35

Specifications

Crew
1
Length
51.2 ft (15.6 m)
Wingspan
35 ft (10.7 m)
Wing area
460 sq ft (42.7 sq m)
Empty weight
32,300 lb (14,651 kg)
Maximum gross weight
60,000 lb class (27,216 kg)
Maximum speed
Mach 1.6 (approximately 1,200 mph)
Combat radius
>450 nautical miles (833 km)
Maximum range
>900 nautical miles (1,667 km)
Internal fuel capacity
13,100-13,500 lb (5,942-6,123 kg)
Maximum G-rating
7.0
Propulsion
Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-600 with shaft-driven lift fan
Weapons payload
Internal and external carriage, mission-dependent
Maximum thrust
38,000 lb (afterburner)
Vertical lift thrust
40,500 lb
STOVL Design Context

The F-35B's distinguishing feature is a short takeoff and vertical landing propulsion arrangement rather than a separate combat role. The lift system lets the aircraft work from amphibious assault ships and shorter expeditionary runways, while internal weapons carriage, sensors, and networked mission systems keep it within the broader F-35 multirole fighter family.

Lift architecture

A Pratt & Whitney F135 engine drives a Rolls-Royce lift fan, with vectored rear thrust and lateral control nozzles providing vertical-flight control.

Shipboard role

Marine Corps testing aboard USS Wasp validated day and night shipboard takeoffs, landings, weapons loading, maintenance support, and detachment logistics before IOC.

Family distinction

Compared with the F-35A and F-35C, the F-35B trades some internal fuel and structure for the STOVL lift system used by Marine Corps, UK, and Italian operators.

Variants

The F-35B is the STOVL branch of the F-35 family, distinct from the conventional-runway F-35A and the carrier-catapult F-35C.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
F-35 Lightning II, Fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-35 Lightning IIJoint Strike Fighter family page

The broader family page covers F-35A, F-35B, F-35C, and national subvariants across documented conflicts.

Sources: The ABCs of F-35

F-35A Lightning II, Conventional takeoff and landing stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-35A Lightning IIConventional takeoff and landing variant

The F-35A is the runway-based conventional variant, while the F-35B uses a STOVL propulsion arrangement for short takeoff and vertical landing operations.

Sources: The ABCs of F-35

F-35C Lightning II, Carrier-based stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-35C Lightning IICarrier catapult and arrested-recovery variant

The F-35C is optimized for catapult launches and arrested landings aboard aircraft carriers, while the F-35B is the amphibious-ship and austere-basing STOVL model.

Sources: The ABCs of F-35

Firing Weapons

Marine Corps reporting documents the F-35B firing a live AIM-9X Sidewinder during a defensive combat air patrol rehearsal.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
AIM-9X Sidewinder missile, Short-range air-to-air missile, MunitionsAIM-9X Sidewinder missileShort-range air-to-air missile

The Marine Corps report says the F-35B carried and employed a live AIM-9X Sidewinder during a combat air patrol rehearsal, marking the first operational F-35B live-fire of the missile in the Indo-Pacific region.

Sources: Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II completes simulated defensive combat air patrol with live AIM-9X missile

Carried Munitions

Marine Corps reporting documents the F-35B carrying ordnance during the same defensive combat air patrol rehearsal.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
Mk 82 fitted with a Paveway- or Lizard-series guidance kit, 500-pound guided-bomb configuration, MunitionsMk 82 fitted with a Paveway- or Lizard-series guidance kitLaser-guided bomb

The Marine Corps report identifies GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs among the ordnance loaded onto the F-35B.

Sources: Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II completes simulated defensive combat air patrol with live AIM-9X missile

GBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition, 1,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb kit, MunitionsGBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack MunitionJDAM-guided bomb

The Marine Corps report identifies GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions among the ordnance loaded onto the F-35B.

Sources: Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II completes simulated defensive combat air patrol with live AIM-9X missile

AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM air-to-air missile, Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, MunitionsAIM-120C-5 AMRAAM air-to-air missileMedium-range air-to-air missile

NAVAIR's photo release says BF-2 flew with an AIM-120 in the starboard weapon bay during the first asymmetric weapons load test for the F-35B.

Sources: Photo Release: First asymmetric weapons load test for F-35B

Compatible Missiles

The RAF reported Meteor test flights on a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B during UK integration work.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
Meteor, Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, MunitionsMeteorLong-range air-to-air missile

The RAF said a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B conducted the first test flights of a Meteor missile and used the inert round to gather environmental data for UK weapons integration.

Sources: Meteor's first flight on an F-35B

Timeline

F-35B Lightning II Key Events

  1. X-35B Demonstrates Vertical Takeoff

    Lockheed Martin's X-35B demonstrator achieved vertical takeoff to sustained altitude using a shaft-driven lift-fan propulsion arrangement developed for the STOVL Joint Strike Fighter requirement.

    Sources: JSF X-35B Achieves Vertical Takeoff to Sustained Altitude

  2. F-35B First Flight

    BF-1 made the production-representative F-35B's first flight from Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth facility using conventional takeoff and landing for the initial test sortie.

    Sources: F-35B STOVL Stealth Fighter Achieves Successful First Flight

  3. STOVL Thrust Margin Validated

    Hover-pit testing measured 41,100 lb of vertical thrust against a 40,550 lb requirement and validated software, controls, thermal management, and STOVL hardware before airborne STOVL testing.

    Sources: Lockheed Martin F-35B Exceeds STOVL Thrust Requirement

  4. First Vertical Landing

    The F-35B completed its first vertical landing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River after hovering during the test event.

    Sources: F-35B Joint Strike Fighter Makes First Vertical Landing

  5. First USS Wasp Ship Trials

    Two F-35B test aircraft completed initial ship trials aboard USS Wasp, including 72 vertical landings and takeoffs.

    Sources: F-35B Conducts First Night Time Vertical Landing

  6. First Night STOVL Test Mission

    A Marine Corps test pilot completed the F-35B's first nighttime short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing test mission.

    Sources: F-35B Conducts First Night Time Vertical Landing

  7. Operational Test Aboard USS Wasp Concludes

    Marine Corps operational testing aboard USS Wasp completed with more than 100 F-35B takeoffs and landings, shipboard maintenance checks, weapons loading, and logistics-footprint work.

    Sources: Marine Corps proves F-35B's capability at sea

  8. Marine Corps Declares IOC

    The U.S. Marine Corps declared F-35B initial operational capability with 10 aircraft ready for worldwide deployment.

    Sources: U.S. Marines Corps declares the F-35B operational

  9. First Combat Strikes

    Marine Corps F-35Bs from USS Essex conducted combat strikes in Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

    Sources: Marine Corps F-35B Conducts Combat Strikes in Afghanistan

  10. HMS Queen Elizabeth Combat Missions

    UK and U.S. F-35B aircraft from HMS Queen Elizabeth flew combat missions against Daesh during Operation Shader and Operation Inherent Resolve.

    Sources: Stealth jets fight Daesh in first combat missions from HMS Queen Elizabeth

  11. USS Tripoli Flight Operations

    CENTCOM imagery documented a VMFA-121 F-35B taking off from USS Tripoli in the U.S. 5th Fleet area during the 2026 Middle East deployment.

    Sources: USS Tripoli Conducts Flight Ops

Media

F-35B Lightning II Images

F-35B Lightning II, STOVL stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: USS Tripoli Conducts Flight Ops
F-35B Lightning II, STOVL stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2
Source: USS Tripoli Conducts Flight Ops
Related Weapon Systems
F-35A Lightning II, Conventional takeoff and landing stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF-35A Lightning IIConventional takeoff and landing stealth multirole fighterThe F-35A Lightning II is the conventional takeoff and landing branch of the Joint Strike Fighter family, built for land-based air forces that need stealth strike, air-to-air, sensor-fusion, and suppression-of-enemy-air-defense missions. U.S. Air Force F-35As have directly documented combat use in Iraq against ISIS, in U.S. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, and in the June 2025 Operation Midnight Hammer strike package against Iranian nuclear sites.
F-35C Lightning II, Carrier-based stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF-35C Lightning IICarrier-based stealth multirole fighterThe F-35C Lightning II is the carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, built for catapult launches and arrested landings with larger wings, folding wingtips, strengthened landing gear, internal fuel for long-range carrier operations, and a sensor suite intended for strike, air-to-air, reconnaissance, and electronic-warfare missions. U.S. Marine Corps F-35Cs made the variant's first documented combat strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in 2024, and an F-35C was later reported shooting down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone near USS Abraham Lincoln in 2026.
F-35I Adir, Israeli F-35A-derived stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF-35I AdirIsraeli F-35A-derived stealth multirole fighterThe F-35I Adir is Israel's locally designated F-35 Lightning II variant, a single-seat stealth multirole fighter operated from Nevatim Air Base and adapted for Israeli Air Force command, sustainment, and weapons-integration needs. Israeli F-35I aircraft have directly documented combat use in Syria, Gaza-war air defense, Lebanon-related Hezbollah operations, and the Israel-Iran conflict, including an official 2026 IDF account of an Adir shooting down an Iranian Yak-130 over Tehran.
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF/A-18E/F Super HornetCarrier-capable multirole strike fighterBoeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a U.S. Navy carrier-capable multirole strike fighter developed from the Hornet family for fleet air defense, escort, interdiction, close air support, aerial refueling, suppression of enemy air defenses, and day/night precision strike. The single-seat F/A-18E and two-seat F/A-18F anchor carrier air wings through Block II and Block III upgrades, with documented U.S. Navy use in Afghanistan drawdown support, Operation Inherent Resolve, the Red Sea crisis, Somalia strikes, and U.S. operations against Iran.
F-22 Raptor, Fifth-generation stealth air-superiority fighter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF-22 RaptorFifth-generation stealth air-superiority fighterThe F-22 Raptor is a U.S. fifth-generation stealth air-dominance fighter built around low-observable shaping, supercruise, thrust-vectoring F119 engines, integrated avionics, and internal weapons carriage. Designed first for air-to-air control, it also carries JDAM and small-diameter bomb loads for precision strike, with U.S. Air Force sources documenting combat use over Syria and Iraq during 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve and CENTCOM material identifying F-22s in the 2025 Operation Midnight Hammer strike package against Iran.

Sources

Everything You Need to Know about the F-35BPublisher: Lockheed Martin F-35 | Note: Supports F-35B variant background, STOVL mission profile, and broad role in Marine, UK, and Italian service. | Accessed: 2026-07-04F-35B Product CardPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports F-35B STOVL capability, expeditionary basing from ships and austere sites, and modernization background. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Aircraft FactsPublisher: 1st Marine Aircraft Wing | Note: Supports F-35B specifications, Marine expeditionary role, and the U.S. Marine Corps operating context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04USS Tripoli Conducts Flight OpsPublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: 2020 United States-Iran Conflict: documents a VMFA-121 F-35B taking off from USS Tripoli in the U.S. 5th Fleet area on May 13, 2026; supports image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-04USS Tripoli F-35 flight opsPublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: 2020 United States-Iran Conflict: used by a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B aboard USS Tripoli on April 17, 2026; supports image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Landing LightsPublisher: U.S. Department of War | Note: 2020 United States-Iran Conflict: fielded by the U.S. Marine Corps aboard USS Tripoli during Operation Epic Fury on April 6, 2026; supports image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Meteor's first flight on an F-35BPublisher: Royal Air Force | Note: Supports the F-35B test-flight relationship context for Meteor integration work. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II completes simulated defensive combat air patrol with live AIM-9X missilePublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports F-35B carriage and live firing of AIM-9X, and its loaded ordnance including GBU-12 and GBU-32 during the defensive combat air patrol rehearsal. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Photo Release: First asymmetric weapons load test for F-35BPublisher: NAVAIR | Note: Supports the F-35B asymmetric weapons load test that placed an AIM-120 in the starboard weapon bay. | Accessed: 2026-07-04The ABCs of F-35Publisher: Lockheed Martin F-35 | Note: Supports F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C variant distinctions used in the family table. | Accessed: 2026-07-04JSF X-35B Achieves Vertical Takeoff to Sustained AltitudePublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports the X-35B STOVL demonstrator milestone and lift-fan architecture background. | Accessed: 2026-07-04F-35B STOVL Stealth Fighter Achieves Successful First FlightPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports the June 11, 2008 F-35B first flight, BF-1 designation, lift-system architecture, and F-35A/B/C designation context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Lockheed Martin F-35B Exceeds STOVL Thrust RequirementPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports F-35B STOVL thrust test results, F135 and Rolls-Royce lift-fan context, and vertical-lift thrust value. | Accessed: 2026-07-04F-35B Joint Strike Fighter Makes First Vertical LandingPublisher: Marine Corps Air Station Yuma | Note: Supports the March 18, 2010 first F-35B vertical landing and confined-area ship or land basing context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04F-35B Conducts First Night Time Vertical LandingPublisher: Headquarters Marine Corps | Note: Supports the April 2, 2013 first night STOVL test mission and 2011 USS Wasp ship trials with 72 vertical landings and takeoffs. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Marine Corps proves F-35B's capability at seaPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports USS Wasp operational testing, shipboard takeoff and landing counts, weapons loading, maintenance, and deployment-readiness context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04U.S. Marines Corps declares the F-35B operationalPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports the July 31, 2015 Marine Corps initial operational capability milestone for the F-35B. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Marine Corps F-35B Conducts Combat Strikes in AfghanistanPublisher: U.S. Department of War | Note: 2001 War in Afghanistan: documents Marine Corps F-35B combat strikes in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan on September 27, 2018. | Accessed: 2026-07-04USMC F-35B conducts first combat strike in CENTCOM AORPublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: 2001 War in Afghanistan: documents F-35B ordnance preparation aboard USS Essex and a successful F-35B airstrike supporting ground-clearance operations. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Stealth jets fight Daesh in first combat missions from HMS Queen ElizabethPublisher: UK Ministry of Defence | Note: 2014 War Against the Islamic State: documents UK and U.S. F-35B combat missions against Daesh from HMS Queen Elizabeth during Operation Shader and Operation Inherent Resolve. | Accessed: 2026-07-04