Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

[Forest Green]

https://www.axios.com/2025/05/15/f35-f55-trump-qatar-lockheed

Trump wants two new cutting-edge fighter jets: F-22 Super and F-55​

 

[GTX]

Also reported here:

Trump Wants A Twin-Engine “F-55” Version Of The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

Trump lamented ugly stealth aircraft and also discussed another “super upgrade” for the F-35 and one for the F-22, while elaborating on his F-55 concept. The U.S. president also discussed another, separate “super upgrade” for the F-35 and one for the F-22.

www.twz.com

I would take anything related to this with a truckload of salt.

 

[Colonial-Marine]

Just stack the second engine on top of the first like with the English Electric Lightning. Think of the thrust you'd have for the short time before refueling is necessary.

 

[Training_Dummy]

Let’s just take the number of engines to its logical conclusion - a Rebel blockade runner

 

[kqcke for you]

Also reported here:

Trump Wants A Twin-Engine “F-55” Version Of The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

Trump lamented ugly stealth aircraft and also discussed another “super upgrade” for the F-35 and one for the F-22, while elaborating on his F-55 concept. The U.S. president also discussed another, separate “super upgrade” for the F-35 and one for the F-22.

www.twz.com

I would take anything related to this with a truckload of salt.

Honestly it could probaly be the giant F-35 upgrade lockheed proposed with an 2 second engine just a second engine like 1 XA-100/101. Maybe he confused having 2 engines in operation for the jet (1 for all the olds and B's while the other is for future A and C's)

 

[Ainen]

@Scott Kenny will be happy, Trump launched his interdictor

 

[GTX]

Honestly it could probaly be the giant F-35 upgrade lockheed proposed with an 2 second engine just a second engine like 1 XA-100/101. Maybe he confused having 2 engines in operation for the jet (1 for all the olds and B's while the other is for future A and C's)

This statement "...but it’s going to be also with two engines because the F-35 has a single engine. I don’t like single engines.” would seem to preclude that

 

[kqcke for you]

This statement "...but it’s going to be also with two engines because the F-35 has a single engine. I don’t like single engines.” would seem to preclude that

Sure but maybe its just him going on based on his own misunderstanding. That aside makes we wonder more which role its supposed to fill?
- NGAD / F-22 Super does Air dominance
- F-35 and B-21 do the prime strike rol
Because the cost of making F-35 and twin engine fighter is quite large. Enough to rival the development of a new fighter probaly.

 

[GTX]

Did you understand my "truckload of salt" comment?

 

[kqcke for you]

Did you understand my "truckload of salt" comment

I take all he says with enough salt to fill the oceans again but we gotta work with what we know for now

 

[EmoBirb]

Just stack the second engine on top of the first like with the English Electric Lightning. Think of the thrust you'd have for the short time before refueling is necessary.

It's Lightning II after all, innit?

 

[EmoBirb]

Also reported here:

Trump Wants A Twin-Engine “F-55” Version Of The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

Trump lamented ugly stealth aircraft and also discussed another “super upgrade” for the F-35 and one for the F-22, while elaborating on his F-55 concept. The U.S. president also discussed another, separate “super upgrade” for the F-35 and one for the F-22.

www.twz.com

I would take anything related to this with a truckload of salt.

I think unlike many here I don't actually mind Trump himself, what I do find obnoxious however is people like him or people in similar positions to him voicing their opinions and desires on military matters. He, and almost all statesmen, have zero clue about anything related to military matter, like literally zero clue. We talk about people who have to get briefed regularly in length about stuff by people who know about said stuff.

And a twin engine F-35 is one such instance where not knowing shit becomes glaringly obvious. The possibility of that happening (or making sense) has passed a very, very long time ago.

On a slightly related note however "F-22 Super Raptor" has the right ring to it. So while a Super Raptor and Super Lightning aren't inherently bad, the approach he suggested just highlights a glaring lack of understanding.

Also almost every stealth aircraft looks good

 

[Ainen]

And a twin engine F-35 is one such instance where not knowing shit becomes glaringly obvious. The possibility of that happening (or making sense) has passed a very, very long time ago.

Did it really? F-35 isn't exactly old.

 

[EmoBirb]

Did it really? F-35 isn't exactly old.

Turning it into a twin engine jet would require massive changes. Such fundamentals like engine configuration occurre very early into an aircrafts development. I wouldn't be surprised if the fact that the JSF will be single engine would have been decided upon well before I was born lol.

 

[Ainen]

Turning it into a twin engine jet would require massive changes. Such fundamentals like engine configuration occurre very early into an aircrafts development. I wouldn't be surprised if the fact that the JSF will be single engine would have been decided upon well before I was born lol.

If it's a thing, it's certainly a new jet (maybe with high commonality factor), but the idea is mildly speaking not unique.