The United States will develop a new version of the fifth-generation F-35 fighter for an unnamed foreign client. The work is planned to be completed by the end of 2026.
The Pentagon has signed a $49 million contract with Lockheed Martin, involving the development of a new version of the low-profile F-35 aircraft for an unnamed American ally.
Most of the work on the new version of the F-35 will be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas. Some of them will be held in Redondo Beach (California), Orlando (Florida), Baltimore (Maryland), Ovego (New York) and in the UK. It is expected that all work will be completed by December 2026.
The F-35 fighter exists in three main variants. The F-35A was created as an aircraft for the US Air Force and the bulk of the American allies participating in the program. This is the most technologically simple, cheap and mass-produced version.
The F-35B was developed for the US Marine Corps and the Royal Navy of Great Britain. Its main distinguishing feature is the possibility of a shortened takeoff and vertical landing.
The least popular option was the deck-mounted F-35C. The aircraft has an increased wing and tail area, which allows it to maneuver at low speeds when flying from aircraft carriers.
Foreign customers of the F-35 receive generally standard variants, with the exception of Israel, which has its own version called the F-35I. It became a development of the F-35A with a significant amount of Israeli-made avionics.
The first F-35I fighter jet built for the Israeli Air Force at the Lockheed Martin Corporation in Fort Worth (Texas)
Image Source: Lockheed Martin
In total, over 700 F-35 fighters of different versions have been built over the entire time. The total number is estimated at more than three thousand cars.
Earlier this month, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced that it was suspending discussions on a multibillion-dollar deal with the United States to buy F-35 fighter jets amid US government pressure on the UAE not to do business with Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies.
It should be noted that now the United States is actively working on the sixth generation of fighters: it is known that in the future the fleet and the Air Force will receive new machines. The most important event in this regard can be considered the testing of a demonstrator of a promising aircraft, which became known last year. It was about a "full-scale demonstration sample" that "broke many records"
The possible appearance of the novelty became known in September. The aircraft may enter service around 2035-2040.
