F-35 Lots 12, 13 and 14 contract announced
The F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin have finalised a $34 billion agreement for the production and delivery of 478 F-35 aircraft Lots 12, 13 and 14.
The contract includes 291 aircraft for the US military, 127 for F-35 international partners, and 60 for US government F-35 Foreign Military Sales customers.
The agreement meets the programme’s cost reduction targets for each F-35 variant.
More than 450 F-35 aircraft are currently operating from 19 bases around the globe, with eight nations operating F-35s from a base on their home soil and seven services having declared Initial Operating Capability.
The global fleet has surpassed more than 220,000 cumulative flight hours and more than 910 pilots and 8,350 maintainers have been trained.
More from Defence Notes
-
Eurosatory 2026: Iran’s attacks on UAE have “accelerated” Edge’s plans, says company
The UAE’s Edge has undergone massive changes since it was formed in 2019, from acquisitions to partnerships, and has now set up a European division in Paris.
-
US, Canada advance with over-the-horizon radar programmes to close NORAD surveillance gaps
Washington and Ottawa’s Arctic and homeland radar initiatives aim to strengthen early warning against cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons and long-range aerospace threats approaching North America.
-
The speed of relevance: how companies can navigate the new era of European defence procurement
European militaries face a rapidly evolving security landscape and defence production must accelerate to meet surging demand for platforms and equipment. Industry needs to adapt to ensure it gets its products into the hands of the end user, Evelyn Rafferty, Senior Director Aerospace and Defence - Europe at Plexus told Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan.
-
Delays, departures and drama cloud UK defence programmes ahead of absent DIP
The UK defence secretary’s departure suggests that the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan is unlikely to meet the funding demands of the armed forces, with consequences for procurement and the UK’s standing at a NATO summit weeks away.