Lockheed Martin Secures 10-Year Deal to Build 850 F-35 Jets for U.S. Forces

Lockheed Martin revealed a new production and sustainment framework for the F-35 Lightning II, committing to build 850 aircraft for the U.S. military within ten years, alongside initial spares, modification kits and a decade of support. The deal envisions a continuous output of 156 jets annually and relies on multiyear authority and appropriations from Congress to finalize pricing and schedules. Company leaders argue that the certainty of the contract will enable upfront investments to expand capacity, improve efficiency and create a more robust supply chain, ultimately saving billions through volume discounts.

The program is projected to support 317,000 U.S. jobs and generate roughly $79 billion in annual economic activity, while also meeting Department of War and congressional priorities for higher readiness. Long-term supplier contracts are expected to streamline raw-material procurement, cut bottlenecks and raise mission-capable rates by eliminating yearly contracting cycles. The initiative reinforces interoperability for the more than 1,375 F-35s already operating in 13 countries from 42 global bases.