The US Department of War and Lockheed Martin have established a framework for multiyear production and sustainment of the F-35 Lightning II, covering 850 US aircraft over 10 years. The arrangement also includes initial spares, modification kits and sustainment for the same period, as well as international customer orders across Lots 21–30, while maintaining production at 156 aircraft annually.
The framework is not yet a final production contract or legally binding order. Its implementation depends on Congress granting multiyear procurement authority and approving the required appropriations. Once those conditions are met, the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin are expected to negotiate final contract terms, pricing and delivery schedules through a formal award.
By combining aircraft procurement with spares, modification kits and lifecycle support, the proposed structure is intended to give Lockheed Martin and its suppliers greater visibility for workforce planning, capacity expansion, raw-material purchasing and production investment. It is also designed to improve parts availability and fleet readiness while lowering costs through volume purchasing and longer-term pricing.
Lockheed Martin is expected to self-fund at least $7 billion in initiatives supporting the programme. The company estimates that the plan would support approximately 317,000 US jobs and generate about $79 billion in annual US economic activity over the next decade. No final contract value, definitive pricing or delivery schedule has been disclosed.