Lockheed Martin to develop new F-35 variant for foreign customer

[Isa Khan]

America’s biggest defense firm Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract from the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command for developing a new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter variant for a foreign customer.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense contract announcements, Lockheed Martin has received a $49 million cost-plus-incentive-fee-contract that provides engineering and other related activities in support of the design and development of a Joint Strike Fighter aircraft variant tailored for an unspecified Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer.

The work, which is is expected to be complete in December 2026, will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (77%); Redondo Beach, California (14%); Orlando, Florida (6%); Baltimore, Maryland (1%); Owego, New York (1%) and Samlesbury, United Kingdom (1%).

Also noted that FMS funds in the amount $49 million will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

With more than 700 F-35s now delivered to U.S. and international operators, the impact of the global fleet is far reaching – significantly enhancing the allied joint force. As the F-35 fleet grows, so too does the alliance-based force needed to deter or defeat near-peer competitors.

Today, F-35s are operating from 21 bases around the globe. More than 1,460 pilots and 11,025 maintainers have been trained and the F-35 fleet has surpassed 430,000 cumulative flight hours.

https://defence-blog.com/lockheed-martin-to-develop-new-f-35-variant-for-foreign-customer/?fbclid=IwAR1iue81-Wb9l-hLWh-NUY3oiREmaHFHMCcEUuOExNQaX38iOiv0a_3jOPM

 

[guest12]

Most likely downgraded version for UAE.

 

[RogerRanger]

For me if the F-35 was that advanced why are the Americans willing to export it? Its a huge upgrade over the Harrier for carriers. However the F-15 and Su-35 are more capable aircraft. I think this is another reason why the British are working on the Tempest rather than buying more F-35. Its the budget version of a stealth aircraft. Also in newer 6th gen designs they are going back to speed, maneuver and payloads, rather than stealth. Which is interesting for me because stealth is the more expensive thing to maintain on the aircraft. Obviously drones swarms, direct energy weapons and integration of systems, but just in terms of the aircraft design I think they now understand that stealth is less important than the old ways of comparing aircraft.

 

[Anastasius]

For me if the F-35 was that advanced why are the Americans willing to export it? Its a huge upgrade over the Harrier for carriers. However the F-15 and Su-35 are more capable aircraft. I think this is another reason why the British are working on the Tempest rather than buying more F-35. Its the budget version of a stealth aircraft. Also in newer 6th gen designs they are going back to speed, maneuver and payloads, rather than stealth. Which is interesting for me because stealth is the more expensive thing to maintain on the aircraft. Obviously drones swarms, direct energy weapons and integration of systems, but just in terms of the aircraft design I think they now understand that stealth is less important than the old ways of comparing aircraft.

It's a form of influence via arms exports. Pretty simple logic.

 

[RogerRanger]

It's a form of influence via arms exports. Pretty simple logic.

Yes. However they didn't do this with the F-22 and we don't see the Americans exporting their best stuff freely like this to whoever wants it. The F-22 export program could have funded the entire program because I am sure Turkey/Japan/Britain would have all wanted it. However the Americans refused because it was so advanced and capable. The F-35 was meant to be the F-16 cheap stealth version for export to NATO members and other nations. And yeah the Americans control other nations abilities to procure and build their own weapons systems to keep them under American control.