This model is based on the F-35B Lightning II which is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the multinational F-35 programme, developed primarily for the United States Marine Corps and the Royal Navy. Its origins lie in the 1990s Joint Strike Fighter project, which aimed to replace several ageing aircraft types with a single, versatile design. Lockheed Martin’s X-35 demonstrator won the competition in 2001, proving its ability to transition from conventional flight to vertical landing. The F-35B entered US Marine Corps service in 2015 and with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy in 2018. Its unique lift-fan system allows operations from short runways and aircraft carriers without catapults, greatly expanding deployment flexibility.