The network of the US department of defense was hacked and a few terabytes of data were stolen. The files regarding the new 5^th generation multi strike aircraft F-35 Lightning II were hacked according to the department of defense. The US believes it was the done by hackers in China according to the IPs which were tracked. This situation is in the awake of recent hackings in to the US power grid, water utilities, and the financial industry. Makes one think of the possibility of a fire sale concept used I the 2007 movie Die Hard 4. but on a positive note hackers failed to obtain information regarding the F-35’s sensors, system controls and stealth technology because the information regarding these systems were on a non networked system.

The US government will now take measures to increase security to prevent such incidents in the future especially when top secret and valuable information is always targeted. A defense contract is awarded by carefully evaluating the contractor’s attributes among which the kind of security steps taken in safeguarding information related to a project. After the attacks reviews will be carried out to assure that such attacks will not happen in the future.

Below are a few details regarding the F-35

General characteristics

• Crew: 1


• Variants: A, B, C


• Length: 51.4 ft, B: 51.1 ft, C: 51.4 ft


• Wingspan: A/B: 35 ft, C: 43 ft (A/B: 10.67 m, C: 13.11 m)


• Height: 17 ft 4 in (5.28 m)


• Wing area: A/B: 460 ft², C: 668 ft² (A/B: 42.7 m², C: 62.1 m²)


• Empty weight: A: 29,036 lb, B: 32,161 lb, C: 32,070 lb (A: 13,170 kg, B: 14,588 kg, C: 14,547 kg)


• Loaded weight: 44,400 lb (20,100 kg)


• Max takeoff weight: 60,000 lb (27,200 kg)


• Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan


• Dry thrust: 25,000 lbf (111 kN)


• Thrust with afterburner: 40,000+ lbf (178+ kN)


• Secondary Powerplant: 1× General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 afterburning turbofan, >40,000 lbf (178 kN) [in development]


• Lift fan (STOVL): 1× Rolls-Royce LiftSystem driven from either F135 or F136 power plant, 18,000 lbf (80 kN)


• Maximum speed: Mach 1.6+ (1,200 mph, 1,931 km/h)


• Range: A: 1,200 nmi; B: 900 nmi; C: >1,200 nmi (A: 2,220 km; B: 1,670 km; C: >2,220 km) on internal fuel


• Combat radius: A: >590 nmi; B: >450 nmi; C: >600 nmi (A: 1,090 km; B: 830 km; C: 1,110 km) on internal fuel
  
• Service ceiling: A/B/C: 60,000 ft (18,288 m)


• Rate of climb: classified (not publicly available)


• Wing loading: 91.4 lb/ft² (446 kg/m²)


• Thrust/weight:


• With full fuel: A: 0.89; B: 0.92; C: 0.81


• With 50% fuel: A: 1.12; B: 1.10; C: 1.01


• g-Limits: F-35A: 9 g, F-35B: 9 g, F-35C: 9 g

For more Information visit the Lockheed Martin website

For More Information Regarding the breach visit CNN

and visit Wikipedia