USAF Won’t Resume Full F-35 Buys Until Lockheed Wrings Problems From Upgrade: Service Chief

USAF won’t resume full F-35 buys until Lockheed wrings problems from upgrade: service chief

Gen. Allvin says the decision flows from new DOD priorities.

Final withheld F-35 payment to Lockheed to be released in 2026

By next year, Lockheed Martin could be fully reimbursed for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft after the Pentagon moved to withhold a portion of the payments until the company could deliver complete Technology Refresh-3 capable jets. A “bulk” of the funds continue to be withheld from both new production and already delivered aircraft, a spokesperson from the F-35 Joint Program Office told Inside Defense. But as Lockheed Martin incrementally meet…

Lockheed CEO Pitches F-35 Upgrade as ‘Bridge’ to F-47

Lockheed Martin chief executive officer Jim Taiclet renewed his call for a substantial upgrade of the F-35 with technologies his company developed for the Next-Generation Air Dominance program, which it lost out on to Boeing in March. Taiclet said the upgrade would be an important “bridge” to the newly designated F-47, which he predicted could be a decade away from service.   Lockheed also announced $1.6 billion in losses in the second quarter,…

F-35 Lightning Strikes in 2025: Upgrades, War Zones, and Global Controversies

Introduction: A Pivotal Year for the Stealth Fighter The year 2025 has been action-packed for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. The world’s premier stealth fighter jet found itself at the center of high-stakes military operations, blockbuster procurement deals, and heated political debates. From record production runs and next-gen technical upgrades, to strategic deployments in… Read more The post F-35 Lightning Strikes in 2025: Upgrades, W…