The agreement \u2014 which still needs to be authorized by Congress \u2014 will strengthen the F-35 global operations as the long-term procurement helps expand the nation\u2019s fifth-generation aircraft fleet, officials said.<\/p>\n
More than 1,375 F-35 aircraft operate from 42 bases worldwide.<\/p>\n
OJ Sanchez, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said the buildup of the F-35 family will aid in collaborative sharing of information and training protocols to keep nations safer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis production line is fierce,\u201d Sanchez said at a ceremony last month for Germany\u2019s first F-35. \u201cWe produce between 150 to 160 airplanes. That\u2019s five times more than any other fighter production line in any country anywhere in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2025, Lockheed Martin set a new record for F-35 production<\/a> when it assembled 191 jets at its plant at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.<\/p>\n Pentagon officials said the agreement will help produce planes faster.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have fundamentally changed how we stabilize the American defense industrial base to produce at speed and scale,\u201d said Michael P. Duffey, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment who uses the title undersecretary of war. \u201cThis agreement with Lockheed Martin proves it. By aligning financial incentives with actual performance, we are ensuring our warfighters are equipped with the lethal capabilities they need to fight and win.\u201d<\/p>\n Lockheed Martin expects to continue F-35 production at a rate of 156 aircraft per year. The agreement includes associated spares, modification kits and international customer orders across Lots 21-30.<\/p>\n Jim Taiclet, chairman and president of Lockheed Martin Corp., said the multiyear framework will strengthen the company\u2019s F-35 investments.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the greater certainty that comes from the U.S. government\u2019s transformative approach to F-35 production and sustainment, we can make the upfront investments needed to expand capacity, improve efficiency, and build a more resilient supply chain,\u201d Taiclet said in a statement. \u201cThat\u2019s good for the taxpayer, good for our suppliers and, most importantly, good for the United States and its allies.\u201d<\/p>\n If Congress approves the agreement, Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office will work to finalize contract terms, pricing and schedules through a formal contract award, officials said in a news release.<\/p>\n \u201cThis effort is expected to save taxpayers billions of dollars over F-35\u2019s lifecycle through long-term pricing and industry volume discounts,\u201d officials said in the release.<\/p>\n Under the agreement, annual supplemental appropriations awards from the Pentagon would be eliminated. F-35 readiness would be supplemented by high-volume procurement and discounts as well as real-time analytics for parts inventory and readiness metrics.<\/p>\n Long-term contracts with suppliers will enable bulk purchases of raw materials and critical parts to reduce logistics bottlenecks, officials said.<\/p>\n The framework gives suppliers stability to plan for the future and make needed investments, Sanchez said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis, in addition to the investments Lockheed Martin is making to the global spares pool, will directly translate into higher mission capable rates and a more resilient supply chain \u2014 critical capabilities the warfighter needs to meet today\u2019s mission and prepare for tomorrow\u2019s threats,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The F-35 program will support more than 317,000 jobs and is expected to generate about $79 billion in annual economic activity over the next decade. The program contracts with more than 1,800 suppliers across 48 states and Puerto Rico.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sanchez said Lockheed Martin is expanding its suppliers since there is a backlog of at least 300 aircraft as more nations commit to the F-35 program.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe core of that F-35 family is right here in Fort Worth,\u201d he told the Fort Worth Report. \u201cWe\u2019ll continue to see demand right here in Fort Worth.\u201d<\/p>\n Sanchez, who was named to his role in May, said he loves working in the city.<\/p>\n \u201cI love the community, I love the people,\u201d he said. \u201cThe mission that we have here at Lockheed Martin is amazing and the people who do it are equally so.\u201d<\/p>\n Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/53525.jpeg\")
OJ Sanchez, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., speaks to reporters after the country\u2019s first F-35A was unveiled Sept. 18, 2026. (Eric E. Garcia | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n