Guess What? The F-35 Lightning II Can Attack With Extended Range as Added Lethality

Planners have considered the combat radius of the stealth fighter. The Stingray tanker UAV allows combat air patrols to go farther without exposing ships to attack.

Gamechanger UAV

One thing that China or Russian needs to have is a way to top up jets in flight. The MQ-25 is the only such drone in service today. It is an autonomous drone that is under development by Boeing. A fleet of them will double the strike ranger of carrier planes, reported National Interest.

Based on calculations, there will be a 300 to 400 miles extension for all aircraft, which will make a difference, said Vice Adm. Mike Shoemaker, as noted in USNI. One example is the Navy's Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet which has a combat range of 450 miles.

Shorter ranges make the US Navy more vulnerable

Range is everything now. Having short-range is a weakness at a crucial time, especially with the gains of Russia and China in ship-killing missile technology. Beijing boasts of their DF-21D, a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) with a 1,000-mile range to attack. Another is the Hypersonic DF-17 with more than 1,000 miles of attack range as well.

Russia's own 3M22 Tsirkon is a winged, hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile that can attack at least 600 miles away. The danger is apparent if a single hit from Tsirkon can knock out or devastate a US carrier. If the F-35 Lightning II can attack with extended range, the launchers can be destroyed.

Sailing within reach of an adversary's weapons will affect how an American carrier strike group can effectively use its resources to attack successfully. Having a problem with the shield of missiles in the Pacific, that is China's anti-access, area-denial (A2-AD) approach noted by Defense News that hampers US attack capabilities.

Stingray to the rescue

The MQ-25 is made to fix the range problem related to A2-AD. The drone is networked to a navigation system while flying and can hold 15,000-lbs of fuel to refuel planes with an extended distance of less than 600-miles. Its Ford and Nimitz supercarriers will have these robot-tankers equipped soon, cited NavAir.

By increasing the operating distance of all carrier-based planes, the Stingray will make it safer for carriers to get away and stay safe from anti-ship killers. Stealth F-35s can refuel and can attack enemies, use stealth to destroy targets, without worrying about their sea base.

Now, more range and refueling drones will allow more vital missions to slip in and destroy the enemy or enemies in one flight. Also, adapting to changing requirements on the go without a hit.

According to the former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, Stingray is a gamechanger in how warfare is done. This shows the US Navy's commitment to lead as the best-armed force, using drones, manned aircraft, and ships of all kinds.

This ultra-modern and leading-edge refueling drone is projected to be on carriers by 2024, which will give the US Navy the edge it needs to overcome its adversaries. If the F-35 Lightning II can attack with extended range, with the drone wingman, this will be the best advantage.