Overview

The F-35 Lightning II is the Department of Defense’s Next Generation Fighter/attack tactical aircraft. The F-35 is bringing cutting-edge technologies to the warfighter. Ball Aerospace is providing communications, navigation and the identification antenna suite.

The F-35 Lightning II program requires development of a family of affordable and stealthy tactical aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps; the U.K.’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, and other allies worldwide. Ball Aerospace antennas will be used on all variants of the F-35 aircraft.

Our Role

Ball Aerospace is a leader in low observable antenna technology, including proven design capability and state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities.

Lockheed Martin selected Ball Aerospace to design, develop, manufacture and test the Communications, Navigation and Identification (CNI) integrated body antenna suite for the F-35 Lightning II. The Lightning II antenna suite includes 15 configurations for the three F-35 variants operating at UHF Satcom and LOS, L-band, S-band, C-band and radar altimeter. The integrated body suite qualification was completed in June 2005 and intial production has begun.