Lockheed Martin set a new annual delivery record in 2025 by delivering 191 aircraft under the F-35 Lightning II program. The program continues to expand globally with TR-3 modernization and operational successes.
Lockheed Martin shared the 2025 data for the F-35 program. Surpassing the previous record of 142 aircraft, the company achieved a significant increase in production capacity with 191 aircraft delivered in the year. At the current production rate, the F-35 continues to dominate, producing five times the total output of other fighter jets manufactured by allied nations.
Operational Milestones and TR-3 Update
2025 marked a historic milestone for the F-35 fleet as it surpassed one million flight hours. The most critical technical development was the successful delivery of the TR-3 (Technology Refresh-3) software update, which modernizes the aircraft’s processing capacity and digital infrastructure, and its integration into approximately 1,300 operational aircraft.
F-35 Impact on the Battlefield
The fifth-generation fighter demonstrated its capabilities in various conflict and defense scenarios in 2025:
USMC Performance: F-35B models operated by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) logged 5,000 flawless flight hours.
Operation Midnight Hammer: Played a critical role in suppressing Iranian air defense systems (SEAD/DEAD).
NATO Airspace: NATO F-35s carried out their first kinetic intervention over allied airspace by neutralizing Russian UAVs over Poland.
New Orders and Contracts
The program continued to see growing global demand, with an active year in Europe. Italy added 25 aircraft to its fleet, Denmark added 16, and Norway completed its delivery process. Finland and Belgium received their first aircraft, solidifying their participation in the program.
In September, Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) signed the Lot 18-19 contract valued at $24 billion. Covering a total of 296 aircraft, this massive deal also includes a comprehensive logistics support and sustainability package for post-2025 operations.
Chauncey McIntosh, Lockheed Martin F-35 Program Executive, emphasized the program’s commitment to meeting production promises and expanding global partnerships, stating that the aircraft will continue to be a cornerstone of global security for decades to come.
Source: C4Defence / Lockheed Martin
