Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

The Joint Strike Fighter program aimed to replace multiple aging aircraft types across three services and allied nations with a single affordable stealth platform. The F-35 comes in three variants: the conventional F-35A, the short takeoff/vertical landing F-35B for Marines and allied carriers, and the carrier-capable F-35C for the US Navy. Its sensor suite and data fusion capabilities turn the aircraft into a flying sensor node that can share targeting data across the entire battlespace. Despite cost overruns and development delays, the F-35 has become the free world's standard fifth-generation fighter with over a dozen partner nations. The program represents the largest defense acquisition in history.