Pentagon contracts F-35s worth $7.8 billion

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a contract for the construction of 126 F-35 aircraft to Lockheed Martin. The value of the deal is $7.8 billion.

The contract provides for the transfer of F-35 fighter jets both to the American military and partners.

The corresponding statement was made by the Pentagon.

Lockheed Martin will build 81 F-35As. 43 of them are intended for the U.S. Air Force, 8 are for Finland, 7 are for Italy, 6 will be received by the Netherlands, another 6 will be delivered to Poland, Japan and Belgium will receive 4 aircraft each, and 3 are being prepared for the Danish government.

The contract also provides for the construction of 26 F-35B aircraft. The US Marine Corps will receive 15 of them, 7 will be made for the British government, Italy and Japan will receive 2 each.

The company will also deliver 19 F-35C aircraft: 13 to the US Navy and 6 to the US Marine Corps.

The work will be carried out at enterprises in the USA, the UK, Italy and Japan. According to the schedule, it is to be completed in August 2026.

The day before it became known that Romania made a decision on the purchase of fifth-generation F-35 fighter aircraft.

Also in January 2023, the Canadian Department of National Defence announced the signing of an agreement for the purchase of 88 F-35A fighter jets with the American Lockheed Martin corporation.

The country is also modernizing its military aviation infrastructure to adopt new fighter jets.

At the same time, by 2030, the U.S. Air Force plans to receive 200 NGAD platforms and 1,000 CCA combat aircraft. U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall made the statement during a speech at the AFA Warfare Symposium in March of this year.

According to him, the next generation of air dominance would include both the Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter platform and the introduction of uncrewed collaborative aircraft.

The notional 1,000 CCA figure was derived from an assumed two CCAs for 200 NGAD platforms, and an additional two for each of 300 F-35s. The exact number of NGAD platforms the Air Force is planning to purchase has been a closely-held secret.