In this briefing from Second Line of Defense, we take a look at the potential synergy among the operators of the F-35B. The USMC, the UK, and Italy are already buying Bs with Singapore anticipated to join the B Club. What synergies might be anticipated?

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2. Baseline
• The USMC Is Buying the F-35B To Operate in Its Diverse
Operations, But Will Be a Core Part of the ARG-MEU or the
Expeditionary Strike Group and Operate Off of Ships
• The Brits Are Buying the B To Operate Off of Their New Aircraft
Carriers, But Can Operate Off of a Diversity of Airfields Ashore
as Well
• The Italians Are Buying the B To Operate Off of Their Aircraft
Carriers But Can Operate Off of a Diversity of Airfields Ashore
as Well and will be part of the Italian Air Force as well as Navy.
• It is anticipated that Singapore will buy F-35Bs as well. Making
this assumption, there will be a baseline of 4 F-35B national
fleets from which to build a coalition approach.
• And Innovations Learned by One Member of the B Group Can Be
Shared With All
– E.g., as the USMC Looks To Move Expeditionary Strike
Packages Off of Ships They Can Operate Off a Wide Variety of
Bases Created on the Fly
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3. What 4 Members of the F-35B “Club”
Provides
• Enhanced Capacity To Cross-Learn
• Shaping Common Con-Ops
• Provides Significant Moving Global Coverage Because Rooted
in the Operation of Ships, and Able To Move About Because Not
tied to Fixed Airfields
• A Global Mobile Force
• And With the Marines Leading the Way on Deployable Weapons
and Refueling Packages the Ability To Operate on a Global Basis
With Flexible Tools Is Significantly Enhanced
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4. F-35 STOVL Specifications
F-35B STOVL
Length
Height
Wingspan
Wing Area
Horizontal Tail Span
Weight Empty
Internal Fuel Capacity
Weapons Payload
51.2 ft / 15.6 m
14.3 ft / 4.36 m
35 ft / 10.7 m
460 ft2 / 42.7 m2
21.8 ft / 6.65 m
32,300 lb
13,500 lb / 6,125 kg
15,000 lb / 6,800kg
Standard Internal
Weapons Load
• Two AIM-120C Air-to-Air
Missiles
• Two 1,000-Pound GBU-32
JDAM Guided Bombs
Maximum Weight
60,000 lb Class
F135-PW-600
38,000 lbs Max.
26,000 lbs Mil.
40,500 lbs Vertical
Propulsion*
(Uninstalled
Thrust Ratings)
Speed (Full Internal
Weapons Load)
Combat Radius
(Internal Fuel)
Mach 1.6
(~1,200 mph)
Range (Internal Fuel)
Max g-Rating
>900 nm / 1,667 km
7.0
>450 nm / 833 km
*Maximum Power (Max) = With Afterburner; Military Power (Mil) =
Without Afterburner; Vertical = Without Afterburner
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5. The Asian Anchor
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6. The Mediterranean Anchor
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7. F-35B Fleet Dynamic: Reach Not Range
• The Fleet of F-35s is the Core Combat Reality of the Airplane,
Not Simply Providing a 5th Generation Silver Bullet
• The F-35Bs Talking Cockpit to Cockpit Provide Shared
Situational Awareness (SA) Coverage Throughout the Entire 360
Degree Area Covered
• The F-35Bs with the Fusion Cockpit Provides for Situational
Decision-Making, Not Simply SA
• Enables Both Kinetic and Non-Kinetic Strike Capabilities
• Enables a “Tron Warfare” Grid
• With Off-Boarding of Weapons Can Enable Extended Strike
Capabilities as Well
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