The F‑35 Lightning II is quietly becoming the backbone of NATO airpower. With 14 member nations now flying or planning to field the fifth-generation fighter, the alliance is betting big on a single jet to handle everything from deterrence to nuclear delivery.In this video, we break down how the F‑35 went from a controversial U.S. weapons program to NATO’s default multirole fighter—and what that means for the future of allied airpower. We look at why so many countries are buying in, what the F‑35 replaces, and how that creates both capability advantages and serious strategic risk.We also talk about the political concerns surrounding U.S. control over software, maintenance, and threat databases—and why many NATO countries are buying the jet even if they’re uneasy about the long-term dependency.Intro: 00:00-05:40Odoo: 05:40-07:00How its happening: 07:00-10:15What it replaces: 10:15-14:30NATO’s Gamble: 14:30-18:20Outro: 18:20-End