Tactical aircraft operations in a high-threat, hostile environment require an internal weapon carriage capability that supports stealth operations while ensuring aircrew survivability and mission success. Once the threats have been reduced, a multirole, increased external carriage capability is then required to prosecute an expanded target set. The F-35 meets both roles with internal carriage of air-to-air and air-to-surface stores. It has a robust external carriage capability of multirole stores, an internal 25-millimeter Gatling gun for the F-35A, and a missionized 25-millimeter gun pod for the F-35B and F-35C. It also has a stores management system designed to control current and future store interfaces. The F-35 weapon carriage design is based on experience gained from developing our successful 4th Generation F-16 and 5th Generation F-22 fighter aircraft The design is highly common across the three F-35 variants and provides interoperability and operational flexibility to the theater commanders to engage a wide array of targets. This paper describes the weapons requirements, design development, evolution, and trades performed to define and mature the weapon carriage layout. It also details the associated systems required to load, carry, release, and interface with F-35 weapons.
展开▼
