F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: Cost, Development, and Variants
This paper examines the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and the UK Royal Navy. The paper reviews the program's three aircraft variants — conventional takeoff and landing, carrier variant, and short takeoff/vertical landing — as well as its advanced avionics and shared systems architecture. It addresses key research questions about cost-effectiveness, budgetary feasibility, and whether the F-35 can adequately replace existing aircraft. Drawing on congressional research, Department of Defense reporting, and news sources, the paper documents cost escalation to over $382 billion, repeated development delays, and ongoing congressional debate over production rates and funding priorities.
- Introduction and Program Overview: Origins, contractors, and three JSF variants
- Research Questions: Five cost, capability, and budget questions
- Program Costs and Congressional Scrutiny: DOD review, $382B cost, funding cuts
- Aircraft Variants and Technical Specifications: Shared systems, avionics, and sensor suite
- Development Delays and Program Restructuring: Schedule slippage and corrective DOD actions
- Summary and Conclusion: Findings on cost, schedule, and suitability
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its analysis in a clearly stated set of research questions, giving the literature review a focused evaluative purpose rather than a purely descriptive one.
- Multiple authoritative sources — including a Congressional Research Service report, DOD statements, and news wire reporting — are cited to corroborate cost and schedule claims, lending credibility to the findings.
- Specific dollar figures, production quantities, and schedule milestones are cited throughout, making abstract budgetary concerns concrete and verifiable.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates source triangulation: the same facts (e.g., the $382 billion program cost) are confirmed through multiple independent sources — a congressional report (Gertler), a news article (Tiron), and a DOD announcement (Keyes) — rather than relying on a single reference. This technique strengthens credibility and models responsible research practice in policy-focused writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a descriptive program overview, then states explicit research questions before moving into a literature review that addresses each question through cited evidence. A summary and conclusion closes the paper by synthesizing findings on cost, schedule, and operational suitability. The structure follows a straightforward research-report format appropriate for undergraduate-level policy analysis.
Introduction and Program Overview
The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is being developed by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, as well as the UK Royal Navy. The fighter is described as a "stealthy, supersonic, multirole fighter" built in three variants: (1) a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft for the U.S. Air Force; (2) a carrier variant (CV) for the U.S. Navy; and (3) a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps and the Royal Navy (American Federation of Scientists, 2010). The concept demonstration phase is reported to have begun in November 1996, when contracts were awarded to Boeing and Lockheed Martin for the construction of demonstrator aircraft in each of the three configurations.
Research Questions
The research questions guiding this study are as follows:
(1) Is this aircraft worth the money?
(2) Will the F-35 be able to replace the current combat aircraft in the existing inventory?
(3) Is it necessary to replace the current proven inventory?
(4) Will the defense budget be able to support the 13 planes currently in production?
(5) Will the F-35 be a good fit for all branches of the military?
References
Gertler, J. (2010). F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program: Background and issues for Congress. Retrieved from
Tiron, R. (2010, September 14). Senate appropriators reduce funding for Lockheed's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Hill. Retrieved from http://thehill.com/news-by-subject/defense-homeland-security/118661-senate-appropriators-slash-funding-for-f-35-joint-strike-fighter-
Axe, D. (2009, July 24). Report: Two-year delay for Joint Strike Fighter. Danger Room, Wired News. Retrieved from
F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) international. Air Force Technology. Retrieved from http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/jsf/
Keyes, C. (2010, November 22). Closed-door defense meeting reviews costly F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. CNN News. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2010/U.S./11/22/joint.strike.fighter/
Wolf, J. (2010, November 19). Lockheed in $3.49 billion U.S. F-35 fighter deal. Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AI5PF20101119
F-35/Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). Federation of American Scientists. (2010, November 23). Retrieved from
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