Long sailplane-like wings carry the U-2 into the thin air above 70,000 feet for strategic intelligence collection and atmospheric research. That altitude brings extraordinary reach but also a narrow margin between stall and maximum speed, making precise energy control, pressure-suit operations, and assisted landings central to every mission.
INTERACTIVE MODEL LOADS WHEN NEARBY
2016 / ModernAirframe B
F-35A Lightning II
Lockheed Martin · Conventional multirole fighter
HISTORICAL FIELD NOTE
The conventional-runway F-35A combines low-observable shaping, sensor fusion, and internal weapons carriage with the lightest airframe and largest internal fuel load of the three F-35 variants. It entered U.S. Air Force operational service in 2016 and is designed for both air-to-air and precision-strike missions.
PERFORMANCE
SPECIFICATION BREAKDOWN
METRICU-2 Dragon LadyF-35A Lightning II
Top speed
500+ mphAPPROXIMATE / PUBLISHED
Mach 1.6REFERENCE VALUE
Ceiling
70,000+ ftAPPROXIMATE / PUBLISHED
50,000 ftREFERENCE VALUE
Range
7,000+ miAPPROXIMATE / PUBLISHED
1,200+ nmiAPPROXIMATE / PUBLISHED
Archive milestone
Service entry · 1956REFERENCE VALUE
Service entry · 2016REFERENCE VALUE
Nation
United StatesDESCRIPTIVE VALUE
United StatesDESCRIPTIVE VALUE
Primary role
High-altitude reconnaissanceDESCRIPTIVE VALUE
Conventional multirole fighterDESCRIPTIVE VALUE
Values are concise archive references and can vary by variant, payload, configuration, altitude, operating conditions, and source. Range may describe different published measures where a directly comparable figure is unavailable.
