The fifth-generation fighter F-35 Lightning II, due to its stealth and equipment with a variety of sensors, in the report of the RAND corporation is called the only aircraft suitable for initial contact with Russian troops in the event of a possible conflict in Europe, Defense News reports.
From the materials presented, it follows that this weapon in the near future will become the main fighter in Europe, whose task is to counter Russia. “NATO's capabilities in the context of an intense conflict with Russia will improve with the appearance in the 2020s of hundreds of fifth-generation fighters,” RAND is confident.
The report says the fifth generation fighters will be able to penetrate Russian air defense systems, thus “making a significant combat contribution from the first hours.” According to RAND, such a conflict could arise if Moscow, taking advantage of regional imbalances, tries to “occupy any part of NATO territory.”
The corporation draws attention to the fact that the possibilities for breaking through the Russian air defense by the combat aviation of European countries that do not have fifth generation fighters, in particular France and Germany, are limited.
In March, the world's largest military-industrial company Lockheed Martin delivered the 500th production F-35 Lightning II fighter to the customer.
In January, the corporation promised to produce 180 fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighters annually by 2024.
The F-35 Lightning II family of fifth-generation multifunctional fighters has been produced since 2001 by the world's largest military-industrial corporation Lockheed Martin. The aircraft is offered in three basic versions: A (for the air force), B (short takeoff and vertical landing) and C (deck). The standardization of components for the three modifications reaches 70-90 percent.
The F-35 Lightning II should become the main fighters of the first half of the 21st century in at least 11 countries of the world – the USA, Great Britain, Australia, Italy, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark, Israel, Japan and South Korea. The leading role in the development of the fighter belongs to the first two states (more than 50 percent of the components are produced by the USA, 15 percent – in the UK).
In total, it is planned to produce more than four thousand F-35 Lightning II.
