In a landmark year for the fifth-generation fighter, Lockheed Martin delivered a record 191 F-35 Lightning II aircraft in 2025, a significant increase from the previous high of 142 jets. This surge underscores the program’s unprecedented production scale, now operating five times faster than any other allied fighter currently being built.
The delivery milestone followed the program’s achievement of one million total flight hours and the completion of its most advanced software upgrade, TR-3. With nearly 1,300 aircraft now in global service, the F-35 continued to prove its critical combat value. Key operational successes included its role in suppressing enemy air defenses during Operation Midnight Hammer, logging thousands of mishap-free flight hours on deployment, and, notably, engaging and eliminating hostile drones over Polish territory—marking the first-ever NATO air-to-air engagement conducted by an F-35.
Global demand for the platform grew, with Italy and Denmark expanding their fleets by a combined 41 jets. Finland, Belgium, and Norway also celebrated major delivery and rollout milestones, solidifying the fighter’s central role in allied defense.
The program’s momentum was further cemented by the finalization of the largest production contracts in its history, Lots 18-19, covering up to 296 aircraft for $24 billion. A separate, long-term sustainment agreement was also secured to support the growing global fleet.
“Our team delivered on our commitments with excellence, strengthening global partnerships and providing unmatched capability to our warfighters,” said Chauncey McIntosh, Vice President and General Manager of the F-35 Program. “As operators worldwide employ the F-35 to protect national interests, we remain focused on delivering cutting-edge technology to defeat evolving threats.”
With twelve nations operating the aircraft, the F-35 program is fulfilling its promise of providing a decisive, reliable, and continuously evolving cornerstone of 21st-century allied security.
