The F-35 Is Entering Beast Mode

Popular Mechanics: The F-35 Is About to Enter Beast Mode

Here's the missile that will seriously boost the fighter jet's firepower.

* Raytheon's new Peregrine missile is designed for U.S. fighter jets and would likely replace the 30-year old AMRAAM missile.
* Peregrine is smaller than existing missiles, allowing the Air Force and other services to stuff more of them in the internal weapons bays of stealth fighter jets like the F-35.
* The missile is also cheaper to buy and maintain than existing missiles, making it easier to maintain large inventories.

U.S. defense contractor Raytheon has pulled the curtain off a new missile designed to boost the firepower of fighter jets. The new Peregrine missile (above) is designed to fit in the weapons bays of stealth fighters, allowing them to carry more missiles than ever before.

As stealthy fighter jets, the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II both suffer from a major problem: They must store all of their fuel, sensors, and weapons internally. While previous-generation fighters stored this equipment on the fuselage and wingtips, having a collection of pointy missiles, bombs, and fuel tanks hanging off an aircraft can dramatically increase its radar signature. Fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 and F-35 store everything internally, particularly weapons, maximizing the ability of their carefully molded shapes to evade radar.

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WNU Editor: It may be entering into "beast mode", but for a very expensive fighter jet it is mostly being used to bomb caves and other stationary targets .... Built to win World War III, the F-35 is mostly being used to bomb caves and other stationary targets (Task & Purpose).