Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office have reached a finalized agreement for the production and delivery of up to 296 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets under Lots 18 and 19.
Deliveries are set to begin in 2026, covering aircraft for the US military branches, international partners, and foreign military sales customers. These lots will further expand the global F-35 fleet, now operated by more than a dozen countries, including Germany, Denmark, and Poland.
F-35 Variants
The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole stealth fighter available in three configurations to meet diverse operational requirements.
F-35A: The conventional takeoff and landing variant, primarily used by the US Air Force and allied air forces, operates from standard runways.
F-35B: Designed for short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) operations, it can launch from shorter airstrips and ships, and serves with the US Marine Corps, the UK, and Italy.
F-35C: Optimized for aircraft carrier operations, this variant features reinforced landing gear and folding wingtips for catapult launches and arrested landings, making it the US Navy’s first stealth fighter.
General Features
Powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 turbofan engine generating 43,000 pounds (19,500 kilograms) of thrust, the F-35 measures 51 feet (15.7 meters) in length with a 35-foot (10.7-meter) wingspan. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 70,000 pounds (31,750 kilograms) and carries 18,498 pounds (8,390 kilograms) of internal fuel.
Capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 1.6 (1,200 miles/1,930 kilometers per hour), the aircraft has a range exceeding 1,350 miles (2,175 kilometers) on internal fuel, extendable through aerial refueling. The F-35 is single-pilot operated and supports both internal and external weapons configurations based on mission needs.
