F-35B

The F-35B is the Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) version of the F-35 Lightning II.

The F-35B is designed for the U.S. Marine Corps, providing flexibility for operations from short runways or amphibious assault ships.
It is equipped with a shaft-driven lift fan for vertical landing and short takeoff capabilities, a feature that sacrifices about one-third of its fuel volume, reducing internal fuel to 6100kg and limiting its combat radius to 935 km on internal fuel. This variant is limited to 7G maneuvers due to the structural demands of STOVL operations and does not have a landing hook, using "STOVL/HOOK" control for vertical flight.
The cannon is housed in an external pod with 220 rounds. It entered service on July 31, 2015, and replaces the AV-8B Harrier II and F/A-18 Hornet.
Its operational testing included sea trials on the USS Wasp and night shipboard landings, emphasizing its role in expeditionary operations.

Each variant of the F-35 is tailored to meet the specific operational needs of its primary user:

U.S. Air Force (F-35A) U.S. Marine Corps (F-35B) U.S. Navy (F-35C).