U.S. Navy Is Getting More F-35s – While More Heading to Europe: Elon Musk might not be a fan of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, but the United States Navy loves the fifth-generation stealth fighter. The sea service awarded the aerospace and defense giant an $869.94 million fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract.

It will allow Lockheed Martin to procure the long-lead materials, parts, components, and even associated support services for Lot 20 of the Joint Strike Fighter. Work will be performed at various facilities in the United States including in Texas, California, Florida, New Hampshire, and Maryland. Additional work will be completed in the UK and Italy among other locations.

The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2031, but that will only enable the defense contractor to start production for the aircraft. Lockheed Martin is currently producing Lots 18 and 19, but a production agreement hasn't been awarded for the specific aircraft in those lots as the Pentagon has indicated it would reduce the number of aircraft procured to control costs.

"We expect F-35 Lot 18-19 to be awarded this year, maintaining program funding and continuity," Lockheed Martin Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jesus Malave Jr. said during a Q3 earnings call.

The price tag on the F-35 is expected to go up, which Lockheed Aeronautics President Greg Ulmer has emphasized is beyond the company's control.

"Inflation is real. The cost of raw materials has gone up. The cost of everything has gone up, so there is just inflation pressure in the system," Ulmer also told investors.

Another NATO Member Has Joined the F-35 Club

Earlier this month, Romania announced it would purchase 32 of the fifth-generation fighters, and signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) through the U.S. government's Foreign Military Sales program.

Romania joins other NATO members including the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Norway, Finland, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany in adopting the F-35. It has also been operated by non-aligned nations Switzerland and Austria.

"We are pleased to welcome Romania into the F-35 enterprise," said Lt. Gen Mike Schmidt, director and program executive officer of the F-35 Joint Program Office.

"The integration of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft into the Romanian Air Force will significantly strengthen NATO's deterrence capabilities by providing unmatched strategic, operational, and tactical advantages," added Schmidt. "The F-35 Joint Program Office is dedicated to continuing a strong relationship with Romania, ensuring a successful transition and providing comprehensive support for their pilots and maintainers as we move forward together on this great effort."

Given the high demand, Bucharest won't actually receive its fighters until the early 2030s. Lockheed Martin has seen the demand for the F-35 soar in recent years, in part driven by Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine more than two-and-a-half years ago. The Lightning II has been touted as being the most advanced multirole fighter in service today.

The Lightning II is currently operated by 20 global customers, with more than 1,000 now in operation. The fifth-generation fighter has generated more than 940,000 flight hours and operates from 33 bases worldwide. It has been proven in combat, most recently being employed in Israel's strikes on Iranian military targets.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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