Fighter jet production in Fort Worth could be secured through the next decade following a landmark 10-year framework agreement between the Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin for at least 850 F-35 Lightning II aircraft.
The deal covers production Lots 21 through 30 and maintains an annual output of 156 stealth fighters for both U.S. forces and international allies, as reported by Air & Space Forces Magazine. The primary assembly line for the fifth-generation jet is located at Lockheed Martin’s plant in Fort Worth, where final manufacturing and integration take place.
While the agreement establishes long-term guidelines for hardware procurement, initial spare parts, modernization kits, and fleet sustainment, it remains subject to congressional authorization and appropriations before becoming a binding formal contract. Both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees have drafted provisions in defense legislation to permit multiyear contracting, though lawmakers must still finalize the funding details.
We signed a new agreement with the DOW to build a multiyear contract for the F-35, designed to reinforce our longstanding partnership and save billions in taxpayer dollars. https://t.co/cK1Sdo2PjY
— Lockheed Martin (@LockheedMartin) October 22, 2026
In exchange for the long-term commitment, Lockheed Martin agreed to self-fund at least $7 billion in company initiatives supporting the F-35 program. Defense officials stated that the multiyear structure aims to stabilize the defense industrial base and eliminate annual contracting delays that have previously strained supply chains.
According to military figures, Lockheed Martin has fielded more than 1,375 F-35s worldwide. Defense industry analysts estimate that the overall program supports roughly 317,000 jobs nationally, serving as a major economic driver for the North Texas defense workforce.
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