Here's the most expensive weapons system ever and all of its ammunition in one photo
Earlier this month, the US Air Force told Reuters that America's most expensive weapons system ever built is on track for "initial combat use" by September 2016.
Designed and manufactured at Lockheed Martin's massive production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, the F-35 Lightning II can carry an impressive 18,000 pounds of lethal ammunition.
Below is a photo of the F-35A (one of the three F-35 variant aircraft) and its weapons suite:
(Matt Short/Lockheed Martin) Lockheed Martin's F-35A aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Lockheed Martin's F-35 program includes three variant aircraft (the F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C), each designed to meet the specific needs of America's sister service branches and a number of foreign military buyers such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, Norway, Japan, South Korea, and Israel.
Lockheed Martin says that each F-35A, also referred to as the Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL) jet, costs $108 million (including the engine) and is the most requested of the three aircraft. Thus far, approximately 65 of the anticipated 1,763 F-35A jets have been delivered to the Department of Defense.
The F-35 variants carry a similar arsenal except that the F-35A is the only variant to feature an internal cannon, which is located on the left side of the jet between the cockpit and wing.
Here's an infographic of the weapons the jets are designed to carry:(Courtesy of Lockheed Martin/US Air Force)
NOW WATCH: The US Just Used A Laser Weapon System On A Navy Ship For The First Time
More From Business Insider
