Record Delivery of F-35s by Lockheed Martin
Last year, Lockheed Martin achieved a new milestone by delivering 191 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, the highest annual delivery in the history of the program. This significant achievement came as the leading defense manufacturer aimed to address a backlog of jets that had not been delivered previously.
This delivery total significantly exceeded the former record of 142 F-35s set in 2021. It represents a notable increase following two years of reduced delivery numbers—98 in 2023 and 110 in 2024—stemming from the Defense Department’s halt on accepting new F-35s due to issues with the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) updates. Over this three-year period, Lockheed Martin averaged 133 F-35 deliveries annually.
Technology Refresh 3 Enhancements
The TR-3 updates were designed to enhance the aircraft’s displays, memory, and processing capabilities. These improvements were crucial as precursors to the more comprehensive Block 4 modernization that was scheduled to follow.
However, the TR-3 updates encountered multiple delays. In July 2023, complications with these enhancements led the government to cease accepting newly produced F-35s that were equipped with TR-3. This suspension lasted for a year, during which Lockheed Martin stored many new jets at its Fort Worth, Texas facilities.
In an effort to resume deliveries, Lockheed Martin and government officials worked to deploy a simplified version of the TR-3 software, which was successful enough to end the delivery suspension in July 2024. By May of the following year, Lockheed Martin had managed to clear the backlog of deliveries.
Impact of Delivery Delays and Software Updates
The interruptions in delivery not only affected the schedule but also limited the initial use of the TR-3-equipped jets to training scenarios rather than combat roles. In June 2025, Lockheed Martin announced that it had completed the last software update necessary for finalizing TR-3, overcoming the previous limitations.
Lockheed Martin also reported that the nearly 1,300 F-35s currently in service globally have accumulated over one million flight hours. The jets have been integral in various combat operations, including a crucial role in Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iranian nuclear facilities and involved neutralizing Iran’s air defenses.
Additionally, in a notable engagement last summer, Dutch F-35s, collaborating with Polish fighter jets, successfully intercepted and destroyed several Russian drones within Polish airspace. This event marked the first operational use of NATO F-35s in defending allied airspace, according to Lockheed Martin.
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Jamal Peterson reports on defense, aerospace, and tech policy. With a military background and a strategic mind, he dissects complex subjects with clarity, offering readers sharp, reliable insights.
