New F-35 stealth fighter to perform at Jones Beach air show

The F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, the U.S. military’s newest and most advanced combat aircraft, will make an appearance at the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach in May, officials said Friday.

With a top speed of more than 1,220 mph, the F-35 is capable of setting off sonic booms — as was the case in January when one of the jets on a test flight rattled windows in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The F-35, the replacement for the 40-year-old F-16, can evade detection while engaging in combat or electronic warfare, according to its maker, Lockheed Martin.

“This is a very sophisticated aircraft that is being asked to be a mega-brain and synthesize a tremendous amount of information to a variety of platforms,” said Gary Lewi, a board member of the American Airpower Museum in East Farmingdale and the Museum of American Armor in Old Bethpage.

An Air Force F-35 will do an aerial demonstration with an F-16 at the Jones Beach show, held May 28-29, said Ann Marie Agostinello, director of recreation services for Long Island region state parks.

This year’s show also will feature the return of popular precision-flying teams, including the Navy’s Blue Angels, Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds and civilian Breitling Jet Team, Agostinello said.

The F-35 will fly out of Atlantic City instead of Long Island because it requires a longer runway, she said.