They use downward-directed jet thrust to lift and control the aircraft. The F-35B Lightning II—the clearest modern fighter example—uses a shaft-driven lift fan behind the cockpit, a swiveling rear exhaust nozzle, and ducts beneath its wings to balance the aircraft. It can land vertically; for takeoff, it usually uses a short run to gain extra lift and carry a greater load. Its precise capability is called STOVL: short takeoff and vertical landing.
How the F-35B creates vertical lift
An ordinary fighter cannot simply hover by pointing its nose upward. The F-35B has dedicated hardware that redirects propulsion downward and helps keep the aircraft balanced while it is moving slowly.
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- The lift fan: A shaft from the F135 engine drives a counter-rotating fan behind the cockpit. In STOVL mode, a clutch connects the fan to the engine drive shaft, and the fan doors open to let air move through the system.
- The swiveling rear nozzle: The engine’s rear three-bearing swivel nozzle rotates to direct exhaust downward. It supplies vertical thrust alongside the lift fan; the fan does not provide all the lift.
- The roll ducts: Ducts beneath the wings direct air downward to help control lateral balance.
In conventional flight, the aircraft relies on its wings for lift. During conversion to STOVL mode, the propulsion system redirects thrust down and control transfers to the lift system. Lockheed Martin described this system as automatic in its 2007 account. Lockheed Martin’s 18 December 2007 description of the F-35B system identifies the shaft-driven fan, roll ducts, and rear swivel nozzle as its key components.
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Why a short takeoff is different from a vertical takeoff
The F-35B can take off straight up with a light load, according to Lockheed Martin. A short takeoff gives it more load flexibility: the aircraft accelerates along a short strip or ship deck, and airflow over the wings contributes lift as it moves. That means less vertical thrust is needed at liftoff than in a straight-up launch.
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| Method | What happens | Key trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical takeoff | The aircraft rises without a ground roll, using downward-directed thrust. | Limited to a light load, according to the manufacturer. |
| Short takeoff | The aircraft makes a brief forward run while its propulsion is configured for STOVL; wing airflow adds lift. | Allows more load flexibility than a vertical launch. |
Neither method means an aircraft can operate from any place without preparation. It still needs a suitable surface or deck, sufficient space, and safe operating conditions. The available official sources do not establish one universal takeoff distance or payload limit: those depend on aircraft configuration, conditions, and operating rules.
How a vertical landing works
A vertical landing is a controlled change from forward, wing-borne flight to a slow hover, followed by a descent under vectored thrust. The aircraft slows, converts to STOVL mode, positions over the landing point, stabilizes, and descends. It is not a parachute-like drop.
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In a 2010 test, Lockheed Martin reported that the pilot held a hover at about 150 feet before descending to the runway. The same report described the demonstration landing on a 95-foot-square pad; neither figure is a general operational altitude or a universal minimum landing area. Lockheed Martin’s report on the first vertical landing also quoted F-35 Lead STOVL Pilot Graham Tomlinson: “Today’s vertical landing onto a 95-foot square pad showed that we have the thrust and the control to maneuver accurately both in free air and in the descent through ground effect.”
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What happens during a shipboard landing
On a carrier, the F-35B can hover beside the deck, translate sideways over it, and descend to land. During the 2017 trials aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, the U.S. Navy also described a second recovery method: shipborne rolling vertical landing, or SRVL. In an SRVL approach, the aircraft comes in from aft at speed, combining vectored thrust with lift from air moving over the wings, then touches down and stops on deck. The UK trial account said SRVL was intended to allow heavier recovery loads; it does not establish that every F-35B operator uses the method. The Navy’s account of the initial HMS Queen Elizabeth trials reported 98 short takeoffs from the ski jump, 96 vertical landings, and two SRVLs—a tally for that trial phase, not a routine sortie rate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.VTOL, STOVL, and the three F-35 variants
VTOL means vertical takeoff and landing, and is often used loosely for aircraft with vertical-flight capability. The F-35B is more precisely described as STOVL because its defining operating pattern combines short takeoff with vertical landing. It can take off vertically in the light-load condition noted above, but a short takeoff offers more load flexibility.
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| Variant | Launch and recovery method |
|---|---|
| F-35A | Conventional runway takeoff and landing |
| F-35B | Short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) |
| F-35C | Catapult launch and arrested recovery on large carriers |
These are distinct designs: the F-35B’s lift fan and vertical-landing capability should not be attributed to the F-35 family as a whole. The Royal Air Force’s F-35B profile describes the aircraft’s STOVL role and its ability to operate from carriers and austere environments.
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