US F-35 super fighter shows off "Beast" mode over the Pacific
The US F-35B flies for training in a ground attack configuration, carrying four smart bombs mounted under the wings to increase firepower.
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| A US F-35B with four bombs and two air-to-air missiles under its wings. Photo:US Navy. |
The US Marine Corps' F-35B stealth fighter took off from the USS Wasp amphibious assault ship in the Pacific Ocean on February 3, carrying four GBU-12 guided bombs and two AIM-9X short-range air-to-air missiles. This is the first time the US F-35 fighter has used "Beast" mode in combat.Aviationistreport
According to manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the F-35 fighter can fight in two modes: "Stealth" and "Beast". Stealth mode is often applied in the early stages of war, in which all weapons are hidden in the fuselage of the aircraft, ensuring maximum stealth for the F-35.
However, at a later stage, when the enemy's air defense and air force systems have been suppressed, the F-35 can switch to "Beast" mode, taking advantage of the weapon pylons under the wings, sacrificing stealth to increase ground attack firepower.
In the “Beast” configuration, the F-35 can carry up to six GBU-31 smart bombs, each weighing 907 kg, for ground attack missions, along with two AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles and two AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles for self-defense. If serving the purpose of air superiority, each F-35 can be equipped with up to 14 AMRAAM missiles and two Sidewinders.
However, analysts are still skeptical about the "Beast" mode, saying it is an advertising product and has little practicality. The US F-35B fighter itself only carries 4 GBU-12 bombs weighing 226 kg, much smaller than the configuration of 6 GBU-31 bombs advertised by Lockheed Martin./.
