Lockheed delivered a record 23 jets in April 2025 but has faced production constraints due to delays related to Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) upgrades. As a result, some deliveries this year include upgraded aircraft that were previously constructed but stored; Defense and Security Monitor notes that about 18% of deliveries in 2025 will come from these units.
The Bomber Plant in Fort Worth covers over eight million square feet and employs roughly 17,000 people. The facility handles final assembly and testing before new jets undergo inspection and their first flights. Lockheed aims to increase output capacity up to 190 jets per year.
It took two decades for the Joint Strike Fighter program to reach full-rate production after its initial development phase. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), it is now considered the Department of Defense's most expensive weapon system program ever undertaken. Modernization efforts under Block 4 have been ongoing since 2019, with costs for maintaining nearly 2,500 planned aircraft projected to exceed $2 trillion through 2088.
The supply chain supporting F-35 production is spread across more than ten allied countries and involves around 1,800 vendors in forty-five US states. Key components come from companies like BAE Systems in the UK (fuselage structures), Leonardo in Italy (wing sections), Magellan and Héroux-Devtek in Canada (bulkheads/landing gear), Norway (composite weapons bay doors), Denmark (composite skins), and suppliers throughout Australia and other partner nations.
Globally, more than twelve hundred F-35s are currently operational across nineteen countries or on order for delivery by late 2025. The unit cost varies depending on model type but has risen recently due partly to engine procurement costs; a recent Pentagon deal with Pratt & Whitney values each new engine at $20.4 million—raising average jet prices above $100 million per plane compared with previous contracts.
Cost overruns have been an issue for Lockheed Martin’s “build-while-test” approach; early production models required expensive retrofits while newer updates like TR-3 aim to address lingering flaws through software improvements.
Lieutenant General Michael Schmidt of the Joint Program Office stated:
“We are aggressively implementing comprehensive test plans to ensure this critical upgrade delivers cutting-edge capabilities to the warfighter. The F-35 JPO remains focused on working through known risks to deliver TR-3 combat capability in 2025. The capability will continue to be improved in future lots to ensure warfighters have what they need to win in future conflicts.”
A spokesperson from Pratt & Whitney commented on recent engine contracts:
“The combat-proven F135 engine delivers the power, safety, reliability, and low-observability to ensure operators can accomplish their most critical missions. The F135 is ultimately an investment in mission assurance, providing the warfighters of today and tomorrow the technological edge to fight and win. This contract will enable our team to continue providing this critical capability to help the U.S. and its allies maintain air superiority for decades to come.”
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