The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth $11.76 billion for the production and delivery of 145 F-35 fighter jets, affirming the program’s critical role in U.S. and allied defense despite ongoing criticisms.
The contract modification includes orders for 48 F-35A jets for the U.S. Air Force, 16 F-35B and five F-35C jets for the Marine Corps, and 14 F-35C jets for the Navy. Additionally, 15 F-35A and one F-35B aircraft will go to non-U.S. Department of Defense program partners, while 39 F-35A and seven F-35B jets are allocated for Foreign Military Sales customers.
The agreement also includes tooling support for Italy and Japan’s final assembly and checkout facilities. Work will be carried out across multiple locations, with major contributions from Fort Worth, Texas; El Segundo, California; and Warton, United Kingdom. Completion is anticipated by June 2027.
The announcement comes amid renewed criticism of the F-35 program by Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and Tesla. Musk, who has repeatedly questioned the viability of manned fighter jets, criticized the F-35’s design in a recent post on his platform, X.
“The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level, because it was required to be too many things to too many people,” Musk stated. “This made it an expensive & complex jack of all trades, master of none. Success was never in the set of possible outcomes. And manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway. Will just get pilots killed.”
Musk’s comments echo his long-standing belief that unmanned systems are the future of air combat, a position he has frequently expressed since 2020.
Despite the criticism, the F-35 remains a cornerstone of U.S. military strategy and a key component of allied defense initiatives. Its advanced stealth capabilities, network-centric warfare systems, and versatility across multiple combat scenarios make it a vital asset.
Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon have touted the jet’s ability to integrate seamlessly with allied forces, enhance battlefield awareness, and provide unmatched precision strike capabilities.
The contract highlights the F-35 program’s global footprint. Partners like Italy and Japan not only operate the aircraft but also contribute to its production, underscoring its role as a symbol of international defense cooperation.