The Lockheed Martin F-35 is a family of
single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation
multirole fighters developed to perform ground
attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions
with stealth capability. The F-35 has three main
models; the F-35A is a conventional takeoff and
landing variant, the F-35B is a short take off
and vertical-landing variant, and the F-35C is a
carrier-based variant.
The F-35 has received good reviews from pilots
and maintainers, suggesting it is performing
better than its predecessors did at a similar
stage of development. The stealth type has
proved relatively stable from a maintenance
standpoint. Occasionally, there some issues with
it on the ground, however, it is usually easily
fixed by shutting the aircraft down and
restarting it. Part of the improvement is
attributed to better maintenance training, as
F-35 maintainers have received far more
extensive instruction at this early stage of the
program than on the F-22 Raptor.
Furthermore, the F-35's stealth coatings are
much easier to work with than those used on the
Raptor. Cure times for coating repairs are lower
and many of the fasteners and access panels are
not coated, further reducing the workload for
maintenance crews. Some of the F-35's
radar-absorbent materials are baked into the
jet's composite skin, which means its stealthy
signature is not easily degraded. However, it is
still harder to maintain (due to its stealth)
than fourth-generation aircraft.
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