F-35 Lightning II - Lightning II makes its debut

Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England presents the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II during the inauguration ceremony at the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 7. The Lightning II is a 5th-generation, supersonic stealth fighter designed to replace a wide range of existing aircraft, including the AV-8B Harrier, A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet and Royal Air Force Harrier GR-7 and Sea Harriers. (Image courtesy of Lockheed Martin)