The Pentagon now projects the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program will cost about $536.3 billion to develop and procure, up from $485.2 billion in the previous estimate. Its total lifecycle cost, however, has fallen to roughly $1.93 trillion from $2.06 trillion.
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
Switzerland’s first F-35A Lightning II is taking shape at Leonardo’s Cameri facility in Italy, where the first forward fuselage section and wing have entered assembly.
GE Aerospace and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions are advancing the GEK800, now designated F143-ZZ-100, after the US Air Force awarded the companies an engineering, manufacturing and development contract for the engine as a second source propulsion system for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) programme.
Germany’s first F-35A enters final production before Luftwaffe delivery, marking a major milestone in Germany’s fighter modernization.
Canada has gained observer status in the Global Combat Air Program without paying a participation fee, allowing Ottawa to assess the sixth-generation fighter project and potential industrial benefits. The move comes as the government reviews its F-35 procurement, sovereign unmanned systems and possible future fighter options.
US Air Force seeks new fighter jet engine suppliers to fix production delays, improve supply chains, and boost fleet readiness.
US Air Force boosts F-35 readiness, strengthens base defense, and accelerates fleet modernization under Gen. Wilsbach.
A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter crashed near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California on Friday after the pilot ejected moments before impact.
The US Air Force expects the F-35 Engine Core Upgrade to reach its critical design review in August, a senior service propulsion official said on July 27.
American, Australian, and Japanese Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters have begun flying joint combat missions over northern Australia as part of Exercise Pitch Black 2026, one of the world’s largest multinational air combat drills.