Lockheed Martin touts new (make believe) ‘beast mode’ loadout for the F-35… how would it work?

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has made headlines for years now, though very rarely for anything other than set backs, cost overruns, and subsequent orders for more of the troubled air-frame. The fighter, which the United States and its allies tout at the most advanced military aircraft on the planet, has yet to really prove its worth in combat, and rumors continue to swirl about just how capable the F-35 would be if it ever had to engage other advanced fighters like Russia’s advanced 4th generation jets, or China’s recently unveiled 5th generation copies of America’s aerial prize fighters.

Lockheed, of course, has changed their tune regarding the F-35’s dog fighting capabilities over the years of development. Originally, champions of the program claimed it would be superior to its international air-to-air competitors, but it soon became clear that the F-35 would be heavier, slower, and less maneuverable than America’s other 5th generation stealth fighter, the now canceled F-22 Raptor, and claims regarding the F-35 shifted to incorporate a different combat strategy.