Lockheed Martin reported producing a record-breaking number of F-35s in 2025, and expanding its orders abroad—even as some nations have scaled back or withdrawn from the program.
Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin announced on Wednesday that it had delivered 191 F-35 Lightning II aircraft in all variants during 2025—marking a “record-breaking year” for the fifth-generation stealth fighter program. This number surpassed the previous delivery record of 142 warplanes in 2021.
The company further stated that “annual F-35 production” was “at a pace five times” that of any other allied combat fighter program, underscoring the F-35’s “scale and maturity.”
The aerospace firm conveniently left out that only 110 F-35s were delivered in 2024, and a mere 98 in 2023, before the United States Department of Defense halted deliveries due to delays in the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) software and hardware upgrades. Only after the company released a truncated version of TR-3 did deliveries resume, but the pause reduced Lockheed Martin’s initial targets.
Prior to that pause, 141 F-35s were also delivered in 2022.
One Million Flight Hours—and Other Milestones Reached
Beyond the new record-setting number of Lightning IIs delivered to the United States military, its allies, and partners worldwide, the program also reached “one million flight hours” in 2025. The TR-3 upgrade was also completed, ensuring the F-35 remains the most capable fifth-generation fighter in service today.
To date, nearly 1,300 F-35 Lightning II fighters have been delivered to customers around the world. In 2025, this included first deliveries to Finland, which will now begin training its pilots on the Lightning II in the United States. Belgium also welcomed “its first in-country” F-35, and Norway completed the delivery of its Lightning II fleet in 2025.
“I’m immensely proud of the F-35 enterprise for delivering on our production commitments, performing with excellence and growing our global partnerships in 2025,” said Chauncey McIntosh, vice president and general manager of the F-35 Lightning II Program. “As our warfighters continue to employ the F-35 to protect the interests of America and our allies around the world, we’re committed to continuing to push the latest technology into the hands of the warfighter to defeat any threat.”
2025 Saw Combat Operations Involving the F-35
Lockheed Martin noted that F-35 Lightning IIs played “a key role in suppressing Iran’s air defenses during Operation Midnight Hammer” in June, the US operation to disable the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
Months later, Dutch F-35s were credited with shooting down Russian drones that crossed into Polish airspace in September. That marked the “first time NATO F-35s” had engaged threats within the airspace of an alliance member.
What Lockheed Martin Didn’t Say About the F-35
Subtly left unmentioned by Lockheed Martin in its 2025 F-35 milestones were a handful of setbacks for the program—chiefly Switzerland’s decision to scale back its purchases, and Spain’s cancellation of its order entirely. The UK has committed only to its truncated order for 75 aircraft, with current plans calling for deliveries to be completed by the end of 2033.
Moreover, last year the program faced turbulence when some European partners expressed concern that the United States might reduce its role in Europe’s defense, or even that a rumored “kill switch” operated from Washington could disable the F-35 altogether.
There is no evidence that such a capability actually exists, but there has been an uptick among NATO members to look within Europe to address future aircraft needs. President Donald Trump’s tariffs further impacted international sales and interest.
Despite those concerns, NATO member Turkey continued to seek a way back into the program in 2025, and there has been speculation that the issue could be resolved this year.
Moreover, even as Lockheed Martin was also quick to note that the F-35 recorded “nearly 5,000 mishap-free flight hours during a US Marine Corps F-35B deployment,” it also didn’t acknowledge the F-35A crash at Eielson AFB, Alaska, a year ago this month. The US Air Force F-35A suffered a mishap when its landing gear froze up in the cold temperatures, forcing the pilot to eject.
Despite those issues, it is fair to say that Lockheed Martin has much to celebrate about the F-35 and its record-setting year in 2025.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock / ranchorunner.
