The U.S. Department of Defense and the American group Lockheed Martin have concluded a framework agreement for the supply of at least 850 stealth strike fighters F-35 over the next ten years, if the United States Congress consents.
The announced agreement aims to “strengthen and modernize” the U.S. fleet of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, the full name of this multirole attack aircraft, the Pentagon explained in a press release.
It still must be approved by lawmakers in Washington, who will also have to approve the budget appropriations corresponding to these lots 21 through 30.
In a separate press release, Lockheed noted that once these green lights are obtained, formal contracts would be signed detailing price, schedules and other details.
A similar agreement is expected to follow between the Pentagon and Pratt & Whitney, a RTX subsidiary, which supplies the engines for these aircraft.
According to industry press, the military budget lots 18 and 19 foresaw by the end of 2025 the cumulative delivery of 296 F-35s for a total value of about $24 billion for Lockheed and about $6.6 billion for Pratt.
Around 17:30 GMT, Lockheed Martin’s stock rose 5.48% on the New York Stock Exchange.
The F-35, recently used by U.S. forces in the war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran, exists in three variants.
The agreement guarantees “a floor of 850 aircraft over a decade and includes the supply of spare parts and equipment needed for upgrades, as well as maintenance of the entire F-35 fleet,” the Pentagon said.
In return, Lockheed Martin has committed to investing at least seven billion dollars to expand its industrial and logistical capabilities related to this agreement, which provides long-term visibility and stability for the defense company but also for its entire supply chain.
This multi-year contract “cements the role” of the F-35 as “the principal frontline combat aircraft of the free world for the years to come” while constituting “a driver of sustainable growth for Lockheed Martin,” James Taiclet said during a Thursday conference call with analysts focused on the third-quarter results.
The aircraft, a joint project of the United States with several allied countries, is attracting strong foreign interest. About 1,375 units are currently spread around the world, according to Lockheed.
The United States has thus approved in September the sale to Saudi Arabia of 48 units, for $24.3 billion.
Like its competitors such as RTX, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, GE Aerospace or Boeing, Lockheed is multiplying contracts (missiles, munitions, equipment) that largely require investments to expand their production capabilities.
Even the automobile manufacturer General Motors has been called upon to supply Lockheed with components for PAC-3 interceptor missiles, a first as the United States seeks to speed up the rebuilding of its arsenal, diminished by the war against Iran.
The helicopter maker Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, also received at the end of September an immediate order from the U.S. Army for sixteen Black Hawks, potentially reaching more than a hundred “in the coming years.”
According to the ministry’s 2027 budget, this helicopter costs a little under $40 million.
But Lockheed was not selected in March 2025 to manufacture the United States Air Force’s next-generation combat aircraft, the F-47. Boeing was chosen.
