An unnamed foreign government is funding $18.79 million in development and integration work on a tailored F-35 variant, with the effort continuing through December 2030.
F-35 Stealth Fighter Jet
The Dutch government has approved a 240-hectare expansion of Lelystad Airport for F-35 fighter operations. The project includes new military infrastructure and a longer runway, requiring six businesses and four agricultural homes to relocate. The Ministry of Defence has acknowledged the impact on affected communities, while the implementation timeline remains unknown.
India’s IAF chief says the US made no formal F-35 offer, raising questions about stealth fighters and India’s AMCA plans.
The F-35A deployment introduces a fifth-generation combat aircraft into the Indian exercise environment, where it is operating alongside Indian and foreign aircraft.
The Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) first F-35A Lightning II has completed its maiden flight at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (FWH), Fort Worth, Texas.
Honeywell Aerospace has introduced a new P40 upgrade for the F-35 Lightning II’s Power and Thermal Management System (PTMS), increasing cooling capacity from about 32 kilowatts to 40 kilowatts.
Germany has received its first F-35A Lightning II from Lockheed Martin as the country prepares to introduce 35 fifth-generation fighters into Luftwaffe service.
Finland has received its first two F-35A Lightning II fighters at Rovaniemi, beginning the country’s transition from the F/A-18 Hornet to a new-generation fighter fleet.
The 187th Fighter Wing, known as the Red Tails, tested its ability to generate and sustain F-35A Lightning II combat power during Operation Tuskegee Thunder at Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM), also known as Dannelly Field, in Alabama.
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.