As of yet, the F-35 Lightning II is the world’s only supersonic, multi-purpose stealth fighter. Currently being developed and tested by such companies as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and BAE, the F-35 program – if pursued to its full extent – will equip a new generation of American and British fighter squadrons with upwards of 3,000 top-of-the-line aircraft. Intended to replace aging Cold War-era veterans like the A-10 Warthog, the AV-8B Harrier, and the F/A-18 Hornet, the F-35 (known commonly as the Joint Strike Fighter) will see its impact felt in most branches of the armed services, everywhere from the Air Force, to the Navy, to the Marine Corps.
While most information regarding the F-35 is highly classified, the fact that nitronic 60 is a material in parts of its composition is not. Nitronic 60 is an austentitic variant of stainless steel that is celebrated in military avionics for its oxidation and wear-resistance. Overall nitronic 60 has a much higher yield strength than either 304 or 316 stainless steel alloys, allowing for a maximum strain of 379 MPa before any actual permanent deformation occurs. In other words, it’s the sort of tensile, high-performance metal any fighter jockey wants on his side in the midst of a dogfight or bombing-run.
High Performance Alloys is proud to supply Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and BAE with nitronic 60 for the F-35. In a sense, it’s the sort of cutting-edge, multipurpose metal that’s geared perfectly to a multipurpose fighter. We look forward to supplying any and all amounts of the alloy as are needed for our air forces to have command of the skies for decades to come.
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