Re: F-35B JSF Lightning makes history(Video)
It carries its weapons internally, since carrying them on hardpoints would increase the radar cross section tremendously.
Armament
* 1 × GAU-12/U 25 mm cannon slated to be mounted internally with 180 rounds in the F-35A and fitted as an external pod with 220 rounds in the F-35B and F-35C.
* Internally (current planned weapons for integration) up to four AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X Sidewinder or AIM-132 ASRAAM internally or two air-to-air and two air-to-ground weapons (up to two 2,000 lb weapons in A and C models; two 1000 lb weapons in the B model) in the bomb bays. These could be AMRAAM, the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) up to 2,000 lb (910 kg), the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) a maximum of 4 in each bay, the Brimstone anti-armor missiles, Cluster Munitions (WCMD) and High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM). The MBDA Meteor air-to-air missile is currently being adapted to fit internally in the missile spots and may be integrated into the F-35.
At the expense of being more detectable by radar, many more missiles, bombs and fuel tanks can be attached on four wing pylons and two wingtip positions[citation needed]. The two wingtip pylons can only carry short-range air-to-air missiles (AIM-9's), while the Storm Shadow and Joint Air to Surface Stand-off Missile (JASSM) cruise missiles can be carried in addition to the stores already integrated. An air-to-air load of 12 AIM-120s and 2 AIM-9s is conceivable using internal and external weapons stations (as well as a configuration of six two thousand pound bombs, 2 AIM-120s, and 2 AIMs), but highly unlikely in any operational scenario.
So basically 12footer, as you can see, it has an incredible payload capacity for its size.
