Pentagon Secures F-35 Acquisition Deal

On Thursday, the Pentagon finalized a significant deal to acquire at least 850 F-35 stealth fighters over the coming decade.

This preliminary arrangement with Lockheed Martin aims to create a ten-year production plan for these advanced aircraft, which military analysts deem crucial for breaching enemy air defenses and addressing the evolving capabilities of Chinese and Russian military aviation. However, the Pentagon has yet to reveal the financial details of this ambitious procurement initiative, which involves substantial private investment and is still dependent on congressional funding, as noted by the Department of War.

This substantial F-35 deal comes at a time when Lockheed Martin is experiencing unprecedented business growth, with its order backlog rising by 27% in the third quarter, reaching nearly $292 billion. The defense contractor also shared an 11% increase in quarterly sales, totaling $20.7 billion, alongside a 14% rise in net earnings, amounting to about $1.8 billion, according to their earnings report from October 22.

The cost of an individual F-35A stealth fighter is estimated at roughly $82.5 million. In comparison, the Marine Corps’ F-35B is priced at around $109 million, while the carrier-capable F-35C costs about $102.1 million, based on numbers from Lockheed Martin. For the fiscal year 2026, Congress allocated around $12.32 billion for the F-35 program, which assists in funding 47 aircraft and associated program expenses, as detailed by the Congressional Research Service.

Using these figures, the cost for acquiring 850 F-35s could total around $70.1 billion at the lowest price point if all units are F-35As or approximately $86.8 billion at the highest if all are VTOL F-35Cs. These estimates only cover the aircraft themselves, excluding spare parts, modifications, maintenance, and additional costs, meaning the final price could be considerably higher. The agreement also includes provisions for extra international orders, spare parts, and maintenance services, according to the company, which referenced its recent press release when contacted for further details.

There was no immediate response to a request for comments from the U.S. Air Force or the Pentagon.

Steven Bucci, a former senior Pentagon official and current fellow at the Heritage Foundation, stated, “The F-35 is the most advanced and capable fighter in the world. Both the Russians and the Chinese understand it surpasses their best fighters.”

Jim Fein, a senior research associate at the Heritage Foundation, added, “F-35s are able to operate in environments with advanced air defense systems with lower relative risk, giving commanders greater freedom in selecting targets compared to previous generations of fighters. Stealthier aircraft minimize the chances of being shot down and allow strikes deeper into contested airspace with reduced risk.”

Lockheed Martin has committed to investing at least $7 billion of its own money to support the F-35 program.

Under Secretary of Defense Michael Duffey noted in a Pentagon statement, “We have fundamentally altered how we stabilize the American defense industrial base to produce at speed and scale.”

This extensive procurement framework could also generate significant economic benefits for U.S. manufacturers, with Lockheed projecting it will support about 317,000 American jobs over the next ten years.

Mark Gunzinger, director of future concepts and capability assessments at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, remarked, “Our industrial base continues to excel in the technologies needed for stealthy aircraft designs. Continuous investment is crucial to maintain that edge. This is important as China and Russia also work on developing increasingly sophisticated stealth aircraft. They recognize that stealth is vital for a modern air force capable of operating in highly contested areas.”

Stealth fighters are uniquely designed to minimize detection by enemy radar, allowing pilots to navigate through heavily guarded airspaces that would pose greater risks to conventional aircraft, per the Air Force’s assessments.

“It’s key to maintain our edge in this ongoing ‘hiders-finders’ competition, and thus far, we have succeeded,” Gunzinger stated. “Some argue that advancements in computing and other technologies lessen the need for stealth. That’s simply incorrect—many of those very technologies enhance the survivability and effectiveness of our stealth aircraft.”

Nonetheless, this ambitious expansion faces notable challenges.

The F-35 program has encountered issues like rising maintenance costs, shortages of parts, and reduced aircraft readiness. According to a June report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the fleet’s mission-capable rate decreased from 67% in fiscal year 2021 to 44% in fiscal year 2025.

The GAO also projected that the Pentagon will require around $13.7 billion in additional funding through fiscal year 2031 to support its revised F-35 sustainment strategy.

Douglas Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, emphasized, “Airpower remains a critical component of America’s capability to secure national interests worldwide. The existing Air Force fleet is aging and insufficient, with the average aircraft being over three decades old. Inventory levels were halved after the Cold War. Given the looming threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, we face numerous concurrent challenges. It’s vital to ensure our forces are modern and adequately sized for these demands. That’s why acquiring more F-35s is so crucial.”