A highly illustrated study of one of the most most lethal, survivable, and connected fighter jets in the world. The origins of the F-35 and the amazing challenges the industry had to be overcome go back to a still-secret NATO study that evaluated the vulnerability of air force bases in the West. This spurred development for Short Take off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) fighter aircraft. Only two aircraft with this capability actually entered service, the British Harrier and the Russian Yak-38. However, these aircraft lacked supersonic capability which made them vulnerable to faster fighters. So a program was initiated for a supersonic STOVL fighter – but the trail of unsuccessful efforts was long. NASA, as well as the defense Evaluation and Research Agency and private industry, studied advanced STOVL propulsion ideas but without tangible result. It was only when the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, at the request of the Marine Corps, issued study contracts for a supersonic STOVL fighter to American industry that real progress began to be made. It was Lockheed Martin that came up finally came up with a design that resulted in the remarkable F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter. In this book, Gérard Keijsper explores the long and difficult journey that customers led to buying the Lockheed Martin F-35. Gérard reveals the story of the F-35 in service and why it is often described as an ‘international aircraft’. First flown on 15 December 2006, the F-35 achieved Initial Operational Capability with the US Marine Corps in July 2015, being followed soon after, in August 2016, by the USAF. The US Navy, meanwhile, reached this milestone in February 2019. Other nations that have since purchased the F-35 include the United Kingdom, for both the RAF and the Royal Navy, Israel, under which service the type undertook its first combat mission in 2018, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Japan, South Korea and Italy. There is also a long list of potential customers. This, then, is a fascinating and highly illustrated study of the F-35 in service which, in Lockheed Martin’s own words, is the most lethal, survivable, and connected fighter jet in the world.

Mid-flight noncombat mishaps and blunders occur frequently in the USAF during training and utility flights--sometimes with the loss of life and regularly with the destruction of expensive aircraft. In one extreme case, a $2.2 billion B-2 Spirit bomber crashed soon after takeoff and was destroyed. The events surrounding such accidents are gathered by USAF investigators and a report is published for each case. The author has collected these reports, including some made available following FOI (Freedom of Information) requests to U.S. air bases, and rewritten them in language accessible to the general public. The causes--bird-strikes, joy-riding, unauthorized maneuvers, pilot disorientation, an unseen binoculars-case blocking the plane's joystick, unexpected moisture in an air-pressure gauge--are often surprising and, at times, horrifying.

For more than a decade this annual volume has provided an authoritative summary of all the developments in the world's navies and their ships in the previous twelve months. It combines regional surveys with major articles on important new warships, and looks at wider issues of significance to navies such as aviation and weaponry. The contributors come from around the globe and as well as providing a balanced picture of naval developments, they interpret their significance and explain their context. As well as its regular regional reviews, the 2024 volume focusses on three fleets: the Brazilian Navy, the Hellenic Navy and the Royal Navy. There are in-depth articles on the French Auguste Benebig class of overseas patrol vessels, the Indian P15A & P15B Kolkata/Visakhapatnam class destroyers, and the Spanish S-80 Class Isaac Peral class submarines. The third regular section of the volume is devoted to reviews of important technological developments around the world. David Hobbs looks at aspects of naval aviation and focusses on US unmanned systems. Norman Friedman outlines developments in naval propulsion systems, while Richard Scott analyzes the Kongsberg/Raytheon naval strike missile. Now firmly established as the only annual naval overview of its type in the world, The Seaforth World Naval Review is essential reading for professional and enthusiast alike. It takes the reader to the heart of contemporary maritime affairs. '…this is a marvelous asset for those wishing to keep up to date with naval matters. Very highly recommended.' - Warship World

First published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.