Pentagon finalizes deal with Lockheed Martin for at least 850 F-35 jets over ten years

The framework agreement

The Pentagon said on Thursday, 22 October, that it had finalized a ten-year framework agreement with Lockheed Martin to supply at least 850 F-35 stealth fighters. The deal aims to modernize and strengthen the US fleet of F-35 Lightning II jets, according to the department's statement. It is not yet a definitive contract, and Bloomberg reported that it would be the biggest contract in the program's quarter-century history. The Pentagon has not disclosed an overall value, so the total cost of the agreement remains unknown.

Conditions and what Congress must approve

The Pentagon's statement says the agreement guarantees a minimum of 850 aircraft over ten years. It also covers initial spare parts, upgrade kits and maintenance of the entire global F-35 fleet. Congress must validate the deal and approve the budget appropriations needed to fund it. Contract terms, prices and delivery schedules still have to be negotiated once lawmakers grant authorization. The agreement also covers international orders, so it extends beyond the US armed forces.

Industrial investment and production

Under the arrangement, Lockheed Martin will invest at least $7 billion in initiatives that improve the industrial and logistics capacity of the F-35 program, the Pentagon said. In a separate statement, Lockheed said the agreement would let it sustain a production rate of 156 aircraft a year. Under secretary of war Michael P. Duffey, cited in the Pentagon's release, said the department had combined long-term visibility on orders with accelerated private investment. He said this approach changed how the US stabilizes its defense industrial base to produce rapidly and at scale.

Program history and delivery delays

The F-35 program began about 25 years ago and has faced repeated delays and rising costs, mainly tied to electronic systems, maintenance and operational availability. A report published in September 2025 by the Government Accountability Office, the Congressional watchdog, found that costs of the Block 4 modernization exceeded initial estimates and that its completion was at least five years late. The watchdog also reported that all 110 aircraft Lockheed Martin delivered in 2024 arrived late, by an average of 238 days, compared with 61 days the previous year. The jet comes in three variants for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, including models that can operate from aircraft carriers or take off short and land vertically.

What happens next

Congress has yet to act on the framework or on the budget appropriations that would fund it. Until then, the 850-aircraft figure rests on the agreement and depends on lawmakers rather than on delivered orders. Contract terms, prices and delivery schedules remain to be negotiated after authorization. The outcome will determine whether the Lockheed Martin production rate of 156 aircraft a year and the $7 billion investment commitment take effect as described.