FORT WORTH, TX, Sep 23, 2026 – Lockheed Martin has unveiled F-35A Lightning II ahead of initial deliveries scheduled for this year. Germany plans to acquire 35 aircraft, with operations expected by 2029.
The company presented the aircraft to the German government at its F-35 production facility. German and U.S. government and military officials attended alongside employees and industry partners.
“This is the beginning of a new era for the German Air Force: the new F-35A fighter jet is the world’s most advanced combat aircraft,” said Boris Pistorius, German Minister of Defense. “It is characterized by its stealth capabilities, close integration with other platforms, and exceptionally powerful sensor technology. The F-35A can gather vast amounts of data and rapidly synthesize them into a comprehensive operational picture. The first fighter jets will be delivered this year, with full operational capability to be reached by 2029. Consequently, the F-35A provides a decisive key capability – for the German Air Force and for the whole of NATO. Together with 19 other nations, we are putting transatlantic cooperation into practice, with common standards, technology and procedures. It is precisely this interoperability that opens up numerous opportunities for training, exercises, and operations, making us stronger together.”
Twenty nations, including 13 in Europe, have selected the F-35. Its design accommodates the integration of new technologies and capabilities over time.
“With the F-35, the German Air and Space Force is receiving a modern, proven and highly capable 5th Generation fighter jet,” said Lieutenant General Holger Neumann, Chief of the German Air and Space Force. “It will not only bring significant changes in our Air and Space Force but will also influence how we think, command and fight. The F-35 will allow us to become part of the larger international F-35 community. That strengthens Germany – and, at the same time, NATO.”
“The F-35 is more than a fighter aircraft. It is a strategic capability that enables allies to operate together, adapt faster and stay ahead of emerging threats,” said OJ Sanchez, president, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. “As Germany prepares to take ownership of its first F-35A, we are proud to build on more than 50 years of partnership and deliver a capability that will strengthen European security and support the Luftwaffe for decades to come.”
Deliveries of the first eight aircraft to Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas will begin this fall. Those aircraft will support pilot training before the first German F-35s arrive in Germany in late 2027.
Source: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin, based in Bethesda, MD, is an aerospace, defense, security, and technology company formed in 1995 through the merger of Lockheed Corp. and Martin Marietta. It serves the military and space sectors, including aeronautics, missiles and fire control, rotary and mission systems, and space programs such as the F-35 fighter jet, Patriot and THAAD defense systems, and the Orion spacecraft. The company employs about 120,000 people and operates worldwide.
