F-35 Report Card

The F-35 Lightning II: Joint Strike Fighter Report Card -- Popular Mechanics

Yesterday, July 27, a U.S. Navy pilot flew an F-35C test plane in its first steam-catapult launch, a major step toward testing the aircraft on carriers two years from now. It's a perfect time to look at the progress of all three F-35 variants under the Joint Strike Fighter program.

The stealthy F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, is set to be the future of manned aviation, at least if it makes it through development. The Pentagon this month conceded more cost overruns—almost $1 billion—to the already pricey aircraft development program (which reached $56.4 billion, according to a May report by the Government Accountability Office). Those costs follow on the headline-grabbing "trillion-dollar" price tag associated with buying and operating the F-35, and have sparked renewed debate about the aircraft.

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My Comment: Popular Mechanics looks at the F-35, and produces a 'report card' that anyone can easily read.