F-35

 

Plans to Finally Give F-35 External Fuel Tanks Emerge in New Air Force Budget

The War Zone

Range-extending external fuel tanks for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have re-emerged as part of the ongoing Block 4 modernization effort for those aircraft, years after a requirement for streamlined drop tanks was eliminated. ... The U.S. Air Force is requesting funds to explore adding external fuel tanks to the F-35 in its proposed budget for the 2026 Fiscal Year. The current combat radius of the land-based F-35A is generally stated to be around 670 nautical miles (close to 1,241 kilometers).