The Joint Strike Fighter is being developed by Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Pratt and Whitney and Northrop Grumman. The aircraft has been ordered for the Royal Air Force/Navy, the US Air Force, US Navy and US Marine Corps. This stealthy, supersonic multi-role fighter is to be designated the F-35. The JSF is being built in three variants: a conventional take-off and landing aircraft for the US Air Force; a carrier based variant for the US Navy; and a short take-off and vertical landing aircraft for the US Marine Corps and the Royal Navy/Air Force. The F-35 fighter is expected to enter service in 2008 and the F-35 carrier-borne versions in 2012.Other countries that have invested in the project are Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore and Turkey. This book looks at all the many research programmes that are taking place in the fields of airframe and engine design, avionics, weapons, radar, countermeasures and propulsion. It encompasses the history of the programme to the time of publication when interest will be stimulated as the carrier-borne JSF takes to the air for test-flying.