Regan Brown
The F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft. The F-35B sacrifices about a third of the fuel volume of the F-35A variant to accommodate the shaft-driven lift fan (SDLF). The F-35B can burn 22 gallons of jet fuel per minute, and its internal fuel capacity is 18,250 lbs or 2,720 gallons. The F-35C variant, designed for Navy carrier operations, carries nearly 20,000 lbs of internal fuel and has a range of over 1,200 nautical miles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| F-35B variant's fuel volume | About a third of the F-35A variant's fuel volume |
| F-35 internal fuel capacity | 18,250 lbs |
| F-35 range | 1,200 nautical miles |
| Best-case mileage in straight and level flight | 0.51 miles per gallon |
| F-35 fuel burn rate | 22 gallons a minute |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
F-35B fuel capacity
The F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the aircraft. It sacrifices about a third of the F-35A variant's fuel volume to accommodate the shaft-driven lift fan (SDLF). The F-35B has no landing hook, and the "STOVL/HOOK" control engages conversion between normal and vertical flight.
The F-35B has an internal fuel capacity of 18,250 lbs, or 2,720 gallons. This is based on numbers supplied by Lockheed Martin. This capacity allows the F-35B a range of 1,200 nautical miles, or 1,380 miles.
At a modest speed, in straight and level flight, with no afterburner use, and no combat training maneuvers, the F-35B burns 22.3 gallons of jet fuel per minute. This is a lower limit, as actual F-35 training flights will include supersonic flight, afterburner use, high g's, takeoffs and landings, and combat maneuvers, which use much more fuel.
The F-35 program has been criticized for promoting the expansion of the fossil fuel industry and for taking funding away from healthcare, education, affordable housing, infrastructure, and pandemic prevention.
The Cost of Top Fuel Dragster Rear Tires
You may want to see also
Explore related products
F-35B fuel consumption
The F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the aircraft. It is similar in size to the F-35A variant but has a third less fuel capacity to accommodate the shaft-driven lift fan (SDLF).
The F-35B's internal fuel capacity is 18,250 lbs, or 2,720 gallons. This is based on an F-35 internal fuel capacity of 18,250 lbs and a fuel weight of 6.71 lbs/gallon.
At a modest speed of 680 mph (Mach 0.9) in straight and level flight, the F-35B burns 2,720 gallons of fuel over 1,380 miles, which equates to 1,340 gallons per hour or 22.3 gallons per minute. This calculation assumes no afterburner use or combat training maneuvers, which would significantly increase fuel consumption.
The F-35B's fuel consumption has important implications for its operational range and endurance. With its internal fuel capacity, the F-35B can fly a maximum range of 1,200 nautical miles, or 1,380 miles. This range can be extended through in-flight refuelling or the use of conformal fuel tanks, as demonstrated during Israeli strikes on Iran in June 2025.
Fuel Claims for Self-Employed: How Much Can I Get Back?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
F-35B fuel type
The F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the aircraft. It is similar in size to the F-35A variant, but the F-35B sacrifices about a third of the F-35A variant's fuel volume to accommodate the shaft-driven lift fan (SDLF). The F-35B's system augments the swivel nozzle's thrust with the lift fan, which is powered by the low-pressure turbine through a drive shaft. The F-35B's fuel type is jet fuel.
The F-35B has a reported internal fuel capacity of 18,250 lbs, or 2,720 gallons. This calculation is based on numbers supplied by Lockheed Martin and assumes a modest F-35 speed, straight and level flight, no afterburner use, and no combat training maneuvers that use much more fuel. The actual F-35 training flights, which include supersonic flight, afterburner use, high g-forces, takeoffs and landings, and combat maneuvers, will use significantly more fuel.
The F-35B's engine contributes to the aircraft's stealth capabilities. The engine has a low-observable augmenter, or afterburner, that incorporates fuel injectors into thick curved vanes. These vanes are covered by ceramic radar-absorbent materials, which mask the turbine. The F-35B's engine also features a low-observable axisymmetric nozzle that consists of 15 partially overlapping flaps, creating a sawtooth pattern at the trailing edge. This design reduces the radar signature and creates shed vortices that reduce the infrared signature of the exhaust plume.
The F-35B's fuel efficiency is lower than that of the F-35C variant, which has a larger wing. The F-35B's short 35-foot wingspan is designed to fit inside USN amphibious assault ship parking areas and elevators. The F-35's fixed diverterless supersonic inlets (DSI) use a bumped compression surface and forward-swept cowl to shed the boundary layer of the forebody away from the inlets, forming a Y-duct for the engine.
Bioethanol Fuel Costs: How Much Does It Burn?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
F-35B vs. F-35C fuel efficiency
The F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 aircraft. It is similar in size to the F-35A but has a slightly reduced fuel capacity. The F-35B sacrifices about a third of the F-35A's fuel volume to accommodate the shaft-driven lift fan (SDLF). This variant is limited to 7 g-forces and does not have a landing hook. The "STOVL/HOOK" control instead engages conversion between normal and vertical flight.
The F-35C is a carrier-based variant of the F-35, engineered for catapult-assisted take-offs and arrested recovery operations on aircraft carriers. It has larger wings with foldable wingtip sections, providing greater fuel efficiency than the F-35B. The F-35C also features increased control surface area for enhanced low-speed maneuverability, sturdier landing gear, a twin-wheel nose gear, and a reinforced tailhook.
The F-35B's reduced fuel capacity compared to the F-35A and F-35C limits its range and endurance. Lockheed Martin has considered adding external fuel tanks to extend the aircraft's range, but this would compromise the F-35's stealth capabilities and aerodynamics.
The F-35 is reported to burn 22 gallons of jet fuel per minute during straight and level flight at a modest speed, without afterburner use, and without combat training maneuvers. This results in a best-case mileage of 0.51 miles per gallon. At a speed of 680 mph, the F-35 burns 1,340 gallons of fuel per hour.
The F-35's fuel consumption has been criticized for promoting the expansion of the fossil fuel industry and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. The jet fuel used by the F-35 is the single largest category of energy consumed by the US Defense Department.
Shipping Industry's Fossil Fuel Consumption: How Much is Too Much?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
F-35B fuel costs
The F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the aircraft. It sacrifices about a third of the F-35A variant's fuel volume to accommodate the shaft-driven lift fan. The F-35B's internal fuel capacity is 18,250 lbs, or 2,720 gallons.
The F-35B burns 22 gallons of jet fuel per minute, or 1,340 gallons per hour of flight time, assuming a modest speed, straight and level flight, no afterburner use, and no combat training maneuvers. Actual F-35 training flights that include supersonic flight, afterburner use, high g's, takeoffs and landings, and combat maneuvers will use much more fuel.
The cost to fuel an F-35 is between $3,000 and $3,500 per hour. The F-35B's annual maintenance cost is estimated to be $6.8 million.
The F-35 program has been criticized for its high cost, with a total projected lifetime cost of $1.4 trillion. The F-35 program has been described as a "poster child of a deeply flawed pro-war policy" that diverts funds from other important areas such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
Trucks' Fuel Tanks: Capacity and Consumption Explored
You may want to see also
