The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Lockheed Martin a $154 million contract to procure long-lead materials for 11 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets destined for an undisclosed foreign customer.
Announced on June 9, the contract was issued through the U.S. Navy's Naval Air Systems Command and falls under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, through which foreign governments acquire American military equipment via the U.S. government.
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June 06, 2026
The Pentagon did not identify the customer, referring only to a Foreign Military Sales buyer. The contract covers the purchase of components and materials that require longer manufacturing lead times, allowing production activities to begin before a final aircraft contract is completed.
Work is expected to continue through December 2030, providing an indication of the timeline associated with the aircraft's production.
According to the contract notice, 59% of the work will be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas, where Lockheed Martin assembles the F-35. Other major locations include El Segundo, California (14%), home to Northrop Grumman's center fuselage production line, and Warton, United Kingdom (9%), where BAE Systems manufactures key structural sections.
Additional work will take place in Cameri, Italy, as well as facilities in Florida, New Hampshire, Maryland and California, reflecting the international industrial network that supports the F-35 program.
The announcement offers no clues regarding which F-35 variant is being acquired. Lockheed Martin produces the conventional takeoff F-35A, the short takeoff and vertical landing F-35B, and the carrier-capable F-35C.
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The size of the order could fit several active fighter modernization programs around the world. Countries including Greece, Romania, Singapore and the Czech Republic have either recently selected the F-35 or are in the process of expanding previously announced acquisition plans.
The F-35 remains the most widely exported fifth-generation fighter aircraft. More than 1,300 examples have been delivered worldwide, with the aircraft serving air forces and navies across North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.
