Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney have announced that the F-35 fighter jet and its F135 engine have surpassed 1 million flight hours. Additionally, it has been confirmed that inflation will have little impact on the unit price of the latest batch of F-35s.
In November last year, the Joint Program Office (JPO) and Lockheed signed an $11.8 billion contract covering 145 aircraft, along with spare parts and maintenance – but excluding engines. The JPO stated that the cost per fighter will be disclosed in the second quarter of 2025. Typically, the F-35’s price is announced as a combined figure, including the engine.
The companies have yet to reach an agreement on pricing, and the deal is expected to be finalized later this year. Under the previous contract, the cost of an F-35A was $75 million per aircraft, excluding the engine. The F135 engine is priced at approximately $15 million. However, the company has already noted rising material costs, increasing labor expenses, and ongoing supply chain challenges, all of which could affect the final pricing.
“I am very proud that, by working with our government customers and supply base, we have been able to keep the aircraft’s price below the inflation curve,” said Lockheed Vice President and F-35 General Manager Chauncey McIntosh. He also described the contract as a “milestone we have been striving for.”
Recently, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed the Pentagon to prepare for a potential 8% budget cut, with the savings expected to be redirected to other priorities. Presidential advisor Elon Musk has long been critical of the F-35 program, arguing that it is outdated and that the future lies in more cost-effective combat drones.
Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney separately announced that the F-35 fleet and its engines have collectively surpassed 1 million flight hours, with all variants contributing to this milestone. The F-35A is designed for conventional takeoff and landing, the F-35B features short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities, while the F-35C is specifically built for operations with the U.S. Navy.
“Reaching one million flight hours is a monumental milestone for the F-35 program,” said the program’s director. “It highlights the unwavering commitment of our pilots, maintenance crews, industry partners, as well as our international allies and foreign military customers.”
This milestone also includes the first combat missions of the F-35C against the Houthis in Yemen in November last year, during which pilots “successfully engaged targets in contested airspace.”
The program team is now “focused on the next million flight hours for the growing fleet, which currently includes over 1,100 aircraft.” The company hopes this will help maintain the F-35’s leadership role, allowing it to operate alongside other platforms. “This includes the capability to control unmanned aircraft, including the future fleet of U.S. Air Force combat drones under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program,” Lockheed added.
Pratt & Whitney stated that this milestone also reinforces the F135 engine’s position as “the safest, most powerful, and most reliable fighter engine, delivering exceptional performance and advanced stealth technology for fifth-generation aircraft.”
So far, 20 countries have either purchased or expressed interest in acquiring the F-35, and approximately 2,900 pilots worldwide have completed training to operate the aircraft.
Source: airandspaceforces
