Photos: The US Military's Next-Generation F-35 Fighter Jet

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By Denise Chow
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Weapons test

The F-35 Lightning II Pax River Integrated Test Force from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 conducted the first weapons separation test of an AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) from an F-35C Lightning II carrier variant.

(Image credit: U.S. Navy)

The F-35 Lightning II Pax River Integrated Test Force from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 conducted the first weapons separation test of an AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) from an F-35C Lightning II carrier variant.

Soaring overhead

An F-35C Lightning II carrier variant, assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, flies above the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.

(Image credit: U.S. Navy)

An F-35C Lightning II carrier variant, assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, flies above the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.

Getting in formation

Four F-35C Lightning II joint strike fighters fly in formation over Naval Air Station Lemoore.

(Image credit: U.S. Navy)

Four F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters fly in formation over Naval Air Station Lemoore.

Denise Chow
Denise Chow
Live Science Contributor

Denise Chow was the assistant managing editor at Live Science before moving to NBC News as a science reporter, where she focuses on general science and climate change. Before joining the Live Science team in 2013, she spent two years as a staff writer for Space.com, writing about rocket launches and covering NASA's final three space shuttle missions. A Canadian transplant, Denise has a bachelor's degree from the University of Toronto, and a master's degree in journalism from New York University.