Lockheed Martin set a new production record in 2025 by delivering 191 F-35 fighter aircraft, the largest number produced in a single year since the program began.
With nearly 1,300 jets now fielded globally, the F-35 program is producing aircraft at a rate roughly five times higher than any other allied fighter platform.
International demand remained robust. Italy inducted 25 additional F-35s, Denmark added 16 aircraft, and multiple European partners reached important program milestones.
Finland unveiled its first F-35, Belgium accepted its first domestically based aircraft, and Norway completed delivery of its full fleet.
In September, the Joint Program Office concluded Lots 18 and 19, a $24-billion production agreement for up to 296 aircraft, representing the largest procurement contract in the history of the F-35 program.
The milestone followed the program surpassing one million total flight hours earlier in the year and completing the TR-3 software upgrade, the most advanced configuration to date, supporting operations for both US and partner nations.
Today, the F-35 forms the backbone of combat airpower for 12 countries: the US, UK, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Finland, and the Netherlands.
Its multi-mission flexibility enables operations across a broad spectrum, including strike, air defense suppression, and coalition operations, while allowing allied air forces to align training, logistics, and operational frameworks.
Operational use of the aircraft continues to expand globally. Israel has employed its F-35I in real-world missions across the Middle East since 2017, while Japan and South Korea have steadily grown their fleets in response to regional security demands.
Australia’s F-35A fleet supports both national defense and multinational exercises, and Norwegian and Finnish F-35s have participated in NATO interoperability drills across northern and Baltic regions.
