The F-35 is a fifth-generation multi-role stealth fighter developed by Lockheed Martin. Developed through the Joint Strike Fighter program of the 1990s, the F-35 is today the backbone of the air defenses of a number of NATO countries -- including Norway, which itself operates the F-35A from Ørland.

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What sets the F-35 apart from anything that came before is its combination of stealth capabilities, integrated avionics and sensor merging. The pilot gets a full situational picture through his helmet -- and can see right through the airframe via cameras placed around the entire plane.

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Facts about the F-35:

• Engine: Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan
• Top Speed: Mach 1.6
• Wingspan: 10.7 meters
• First flight: 2006

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USAFE on Sola

The F-35 is not an unknown aircraft type in Norway — but seeing USAFE's model on the Sola during the Flying Days is a thing of its own. It represents the close defense cooperation between the United States and NATO, and gives the public a rare opportunity to get up close on the air power of the future.