Lockheed Martin is on track to deliver more F-35 Lightning II fighter jets this year than in any previous year, the manufacturer confirmed last week during an event at its Fort Worth, Texas, manufacturing facility attended by FLYING.
Company officials told FLYING that Lockheed has delivered 143 F-35s through the end of the third quarter. The aerospace giant’s previous annual record was 142 deliveries, achieved in 2022.
“Lockheed Martin has delivered a record 143 F-35 Lightning II jets through the end of the third quarter,” company officials said. “The highest number of jets we’ve ever delivered in a single year is 142 [in 2022].”
The company says it is slated to deliver between 170-190 F-35s this year.
The F-35 program represents the largest and “most advanced” fighter production effort in history, with more than 1,200 aircraft now in service worldwide. Built primarily at Lockheed’s Fort Worth facility, the jet is designed to replace a range of aging fighter types across allied fleets.
Three variants of the fifth-generation fighter are produced: the F-35A for conventional operations, the F-35B with short takeoff and vertical landing capability, and the F-35C optimized for aircraft carrier operations.
Lockheed continues to deliver aircraft to the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, as well as to partner nations including the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, and Australia. The Finnish Air Force is also set to receive its first F-35 in the coming months.
The company said production will continue to ramp up in 2026 to meet growing international demand.
