Image: UK MoD © Crown copyright 2023
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $12.5 billion contract modification from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for the production and delivery of 148 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, finalizing the procurement for Lot 18 and extending scope to Lot 19, according to a Pentagon announcement.
Expanding the Global F-35 Fleet
The contract covers aircraft destined for U.S. military services, international partners, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. The award is structured under fixed-price incentive, firm-fixed-price, and cost-plus-fixed-fee terms. Deliveries under these lots are scheduled to begin in 2026, with completion expected by August 2028, according to the DoD release.
Under the latest production allocation, the U.S. Air Force will receive 40 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variants, while the U.S. Marine Corps is slated for 12 F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing and eight F-35C carrier variants. The U.S. Navy will add nine F-35C jets to its fleet.
Internationally, program partner nations will receive 13 F-35A and two F-35B aircraft. FMS customers will obtain 52 F-35A and 12 F-35B aircraft, continuing the platform’s expansion as the most widely adopted fifth-generation fighter worldwide.
Global Production Footprint
Production work will be concentrated at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, facility, which will handle 57 percent of the effort. Additional contributions will come from key industrial partners, including El Segundo, California (14 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (9 percent); Cameri, Italy (4 percent); and Nagoya, Japan (2 percent). Other U.S. sites in Orlando, Nashua, Baltimore, and San Diego will support various components and systems integration.
The F-35 program’s global production network underscores its multinational character, with final assembly and checkout lines in Italy and Japan supporting regional fleets and strengthening allied industrial collaboration.
Funding and Oversight
At the time of the award, the Pentagon obligated more than $11 billion in funding drawn from fiscal years 2023–2025 procurement accounts, as well as cooperative partner and FMS contributions. The DoD noted that $28,876 in fiscal 2023 Navy aircraft procurement funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
The Naval Air Systems Command, headquartered at Patuxent River, Maryland, serves as the contracting authority overseeing the award.
A Cornerstone of Allied Airpower
The F-35 Lightning II remains the cornerstone of U.S. and allied tactical airpower, combining stealth, advanced sensors, and networked capabilities. With more than 20 countries either operating or committed to purchasing the jet, the program continues to anchor Western air combat interoperability and sustainment cooperation.
The latest contract underscores both the enduring demand for the F-35 platform and the Pentagon’s commitment to maintaining production stability amid growing international participation.
Source: U.S. Department of Defense
