What Happened To the Joint strike fighter Project?

Question

Britain and America were working on the joint stike fighter as a replacement for the Harrier, but it seems to have gone very quiet now.

Answer 1

Actually the prototype's flying and after some rework to figure out why it's overweight, the pre-production models should start in the next year to two.

Biggest issue stateside is the fight over engines:  Congress wants two companies to build them, the USAF/USN and USMC want just one-to speed up production.

The first production models will most likely go to the RAF and RAAF, BTW.

Answer 2

popularscience.com has an article about the F-35.  It is scheduled to go into service in 2012.

Answer 3

The joint strike fighter is now called the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and it is a single-seat, single-engine, stealth-capable military strike fighter, a multi-role aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air-to-air combat. The F-35 has three different models; one is the conventional takeoff and landing variant, the second is short-takeoff and vertical-landing variant, and the third is a carrier-based variant.

The F-35 is descended from the X-35 of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Its development is being principally funded by the United States with the United Kingdom and other partner governments providing additional funding.  It is being designed and built by an aerospace industry team led by Lockheed Martin with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as major partners. Demonstrator aircraft flew in 2000, with the first flight on 15 December 2006.

.This F35B variant is intended to replace the later derivatives of the Harrier Jump Jet, which was the world's first operational short takeoff, vertical landing fighter, ground attack aircraft. The RAF and Royal Navy will use this variant to replace the Harrier GR7/GR9s. The F-35B variant was unveiled at Lockheed's Fort Worth plant on 18 December 2007. The U.S. Marine Corps will use the F-35B to replace both its AV-8B Harrier II and F/A-18 Hornet fighters. The B variant is expected to be available beginning in 2012.

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