Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was officially nicknamed the "Lightning II" Friday during a ceremony at the company's assembly plant in Texas.

The plane's new moniker paid homage to a pair of previous namesakes -- the British Lightning jet of the Cold War era and the better-known P-38 Lightning fighter that was flown by the United States during World War II.

The original two-engine P-38 was built by Lockheed and was known for its distinctive twin tails and the heavy machine-guns and cannon packed into the nose. The British Lightning was developed in the 1950s by English Electric, which went on to become BAE, a partner in the F-35 program.

"The F-35 Lightning II will carry on the legacy of two of the greatest and most capable fighter aircraft of all time," said Lockheed Martin Aeronautics President Ralph Heath. "Just as the P-38 and the British Lightning were at the top of their class during their day, the F-35 will redefine multi-role fighter capability in the 21st century."

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