The F-35 manages to carry a large variety of weapons created from both old and new technology. In the period of warfare where the aircraft needs to be very difficult to detect, it will only carry weapons located in the belly. Standard cargo is certain to be two AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles and two JDAM satellite guided bombs, each weighing 900 kilos. In cases where the demands of stealth aren`t all that much, one can load up a total of 8165 kilos with weapons and fuel, divided the weight on eleven hardpoints. The F-35 can engage 8 air targets and 16 ground targets simultaneously.

Critics claim that the F-35 is not good enough in aerial combat. Such criticism is first and foremost provided by the enemy being able to detect the aircraft. Next, criticism is provided by the fact that air combat in the future will mainly concern around manoeuvring the plane into close encounter with the tale of the enemy`s aircraft.

The development in technology has come so much further! The sensors, radars and missiles allows the pilot of a F-35 to engage its enemy long before arriving in position to launch the aircraft`s canon. U.S. Air Force is claiming that the F-35 is certain to become six times more efficient in air combat compared to other fighters - with the exception of the F-22 , superior in its efficiency.