Airplane USAF Lockheed Martin F-35C Natural Mahogany Wood 12.75" Model Military Aircraft In 1997, the Joint Strike Fighter program was set in motion by the US military. It aimed to find a new aircraft that can replace the efficient and beloved F-16s, A-10s, and F/A-18s. Lockheed Martin, who participated in the program, introduced the X-35 concept plane (the F-35s ancestor). The specs of the X-35 bested the other competitors which eventually led to Lockheed being awarded the contract for development in October 2001. After the grant, Lockheed announced that it will work with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems during production. It was a way of saying: Watch out, this plane is going to be awesome. The plane achieved its first flight in December 2006 and, in the same year, was designated as the F-35 Lightning II. In February 2011, the F-35 officially rolled out of the factory. Three variants were introduced at this time; one of which was the F-35C (the carrier-based model) while the other two were the F-35A and F-35B, for ease of naming. With specs challenging its contemporaries, the Lightning II JSF was well-received by 2012. Of course, which country wouldn't want an aircraft that set records during the testing of it's weaponry, the angle of attack, and aerial refueling. On Feb-08-18 at 13:47:20 PST, seller added the following information: