Lockheed Martin Takes Flight: X-35 Wins Joint Strike Fighter Competition

The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) competition was one of the most significant in the history of the US military, with the potential to be worth over $200 billion and involve the production of nearly 3,000 aircraft for the US Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Britain's Royal Navy and RAF.

The competition pitted Boeing's X-32 against Lockheed Martin's X-35, with both companies vying to create a single affordable stealth fighter that could replace multiple existing models. The JSF was intended to be a versatile aircraft that could perform various tasks, including conventional takeoffs and landings, short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL), and carrier-based operations.

Boeing's X-32 used direct lift, where the engine's thrust is directed downward through swiveling nozzles, while Lockheed Martin's X-35 employed a shaft-driven lift fan. The X-35 was considered a riskier design, but it ultimately proved to be more successful in achieving vertical landing and supersonic speeds.

The competition came down to one final test, known as Mission X, where the X-35B took off in under 500 feet, reached supersonic speed, and landed vertically in a single flight. This demonstrated the capabilities of the lift fan and sealed the deal for Lockheed Martin.