The inside story of the most expensive and controversial military program in history, as told by those who experienced it. The F-35 has changed the air strategy of allies. But before it is complete, it will cost more than the Manhattan Project and the B-2 Stealth Bomber. It has undergone the most aggressive cyberattacks in history from China, Russia, North Korea, and other countries. The stealth technology required nearly 9 million lines of code, while NASA's Curiosity rover required 2.5 million. And it came very close to failure. The F-35 offers a unique insider's look at the world's most advanced aircraft and the historic program that created it, as recounted by those closely involved in its design, testing, and production. Based on the authors’ personal experiences and over 100 interviews, the F-35 reveals one of the most criticized government initiatives in history from start to finish: the dramatic flights that won the contract from Lockheed Martin instead of Boeing, the discussions and decisions regarding capabilities, the technical achievements in the required software, hardware, and aerospace engineering that made it possible, how the program survived the Nunn-McCurdy breach, the conflicts among the three branches of the U.S. military, the eight allies, and relations with hostile intelligence agencies. For readers of Ben Rich's Skunk Works and Richard Rhodes' The Making of the Atomic Bomb, the F-35 will attract the interest of airplane enthusiasts, defense industry professionals, military history buffs, politicians, and general nonfiction readers.