The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of stealth multirole fighters that first entered service with the United States in 2015. The aircraft has been ordered by program partner nations, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, and Australia, and also through the Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales program, including Japan, South Korea, and Israel. The units that operate or plan on operating the aircraft are listed below.
Operates F-35A, F-35B and F-35C variants (United States)
Operates F-35A and F-35B variants (Italy, Japan)
Operates F-35A variant only (Australia, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, South Korea)
Operates F-35B variant only (United Kingdom)
Operates F-35I variant only (Israel)
Awaiting delivery (F-35A: Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Poland, Switzerland; F-35B: Singapore)
Operators
F-35A
- Royal Australian Air Force – 60 delivered out of 72 planned.[1]
- Belgian Air Component – 34 planned.[7][8]
- Royal Canadian Air Force – 88 ordered in January 2023. First aircraft to arrive in 2026, first squadron operational in 2029 and full fleet operational by 2032 to 2034.[9][10][11]
- Czech Air Force – The U.S. State Department approved a possible sale to the Czech Republic of F-35 aircraft, munitions and related equipment worth up to $5.62 billion, according to a 29 June 2023 announcement.[12] On 29 January 2024, the Czech government signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States for the purchase of F-35A fighters.[13]
- Royal Danish Air Force – 4 delivered out of 27 planned.[14] The first four aircraft are expected to be flown from Luke Air Force Base, starting in 2021 for the training of Danish pilots. The first four aircraft arrived at Skrydstrup Air Base in September 2023. Full operational capability is expected in 2027.[15][16]
- Finnish Air Force – 64 F-35A ordered.[17]
- German Air Force – 35 F-35A ordered.[18]
- Italian Air Force – 17 delivered as of April 2023, out of 60 ordered.[19]
- Japan Air Self-Defense Force – 17 operational; with a total order of 105 F-35A variants.[21] 38 of these F-35As are being built by Mitsubishi.[22][23][24]
- Royal Netherlands Air Force – 39 currently delivered and operational, from 52 ordered.[27][28][29]
- Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands
- Volkel Air Base, Netherlands
- No. 312 Squadron (Planned for 2024)
- No. 313 Squadron
- Royal Norwegian Air Force – 10 operational and used for training of Norwegian pilots in the US, 37 delivered to Norway for testing and integration, with a total of 52 planned[30] In November 2019 Norway declared initial operating capability (IOC) status for its F-35s. In January 2022 the F-35s took over responsibility for the QRA-readiness previously held by the F-16. FOC is expected in 2025.[31][32]
- Polish Air Force – 32 on order.[35] Delivery is expected to start in 2024.[36][37]
- Republic of Singapore Air Force – 8 ordered in 2024, to be delivered from 2030.[38]
- Republic of Korea Air Force – 40 operational[39] out of 60 ordered.[40]
- 17th Fighter Wing[41] - Cheongju AFB
- Swiss Air Force – 36 F-35A on order to replace F-5E/F Tiger II and F/A-18C/D Hornet. Deliveries will begin in 2027 and conclude in 2030.[44][45]
- United States Air Force – 1,763 planned.[27][46]
- Air Combat Command
- 53d Wing, ACC – Eglin AFB, Florida
- 57th Wing ACC – Nellis AFB, Nevada
- 325th Fighter Wing[49] ACC – Tyndall AFB, Florida
- 95th Fighter Squadron[50][51]
- Additional unspecified squadron
- Additional unspecified squadron
- 388th Fighter Wing ACC – Hill AFB, Utah
- 495th Fighter Group ACC – Shaw AFB, South Carolina
- 315th Fighter Squadron (Active Associate) – Burlington ANGB, Vermont[53]
- 377th Fighter Squadron (Active Associate) - Dannelly Field ANGB, Alabama
- 378th Fighter Squadron (Active Associate) - Truax Field ANGB, Wisconsin
- Air Education and Training Command
- Air Force Reserve Command
- Air Force Materiel Command
- 412th Test Wing – Edwards AFB, California
- Air National Guard
- 104th Fighter Wing – Barnes ANGB, Massachusetts (Planned)[61]
- 115th Fighter Wing – Truax Field ANGB, Wisconsin[62][63]
- 125th Fighter Wing – Jacksonville ANGB, Florida (Planned for 2024)[64]
- 158th Fighter Wing – Burlington ANGB, Vermont[65]
- 173rd Fighter Wing – Kingsley Field ANGB, Oregon (Planned)[67]
- 187th Fighter Wing – Dannelly Field ANGB, Alabama[68]
- Pacific Air Forces
- United States Air Forces in Europe
- Air Combat Command
F-35I
- Israeli Air Force – 39 currently delivered,[70] from 50 ordered, and 75 planned.[71]
F-35B
- Italian Air Force – 3 delivered as of April 2023, out of 15 ordered.[19]
- Italian Navy – 3 delivered as of April 2023, out of 15 ordered.[19]
- Gruppo Aerei Imbarcati
- Japan Air Self-Defense Force – 42 planned,[75] also planning to deploy to Nyutabaru Air Base.[76]
- Republic of Singapore Air Force – up to 12 planned.[77]
- Republic of Korea Navy – 20 planned[78]
32 received,[79] with 28 in the UK (one F-35B lost)[80] and the rest in the US, where they are used for testing and training.[81] 42 (24 FOC fighters and 18 training aircraft) to be fast-tracked by 2023.[82][83] 138 originally planned, amended to between 60 and 80 F-35Bs.[84]
- Royal Air Force
- Edwards Air Force Base, California, US
- No. 17 Squadron (Operational Evaluation Unit) – 3 operated for testing[85][86]
- RAF Marham, Norfolk, UK – 28 delivered[87]
- No. 207 Squadron (Operational Conversion Unit)[88][86]
- No. 617 Squadron[86][80]
- Additional unspecified squadron possible[86][89]
- Edwards Air Force Base, California, US
- Royal Navy
- RAF Marham, Norfolk, UK
._(40497948623).jpg)
- United States Marine Corps – 340 planned.[91][92]
- Edwards AFB, California
- MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
- MCAS Yuma, Arizona
- MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina
- MCAS Cherry Point
- MCAS Miramar, California
F-35C
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- United States Marine Corps – 80 planned.[27][46]
- United States Navy – 260 planned.[27][46]
Potential operators
- Hellenic Air Force – Greece is planning to buy 20 F-35 fighter jets with an option to buy 28 more, as part of its multi-billion euro defense modernization program.[106] In January 2024, a proposed foreign military sale for 40 F-35s was sent to U.S. Congress for approval.[107]
- Romanian Air Force – On 11 April 2023, the Romanian Supreme Council of National Defense approved the acquisition plan of the F-35.[108] An order of 32 F-35 fighters is planned, with an estimated cost of $6.5 billion for the program. Deliveries could start in 2032, if the letter of acceptance is signed in 2024.[109]
- Royal Moroccan Air Force – It is reported that Morocco is interested in purchasing F-35s to counter Algeria's potential Su-57 acquisition.[110]
Cancelled operators
- Republic of China Air Force – In 2011, it was reported that Taiwan would procure a 5th Generation fighter such as the F-35.[111] A renewed push for purchasing the F-35 happened in early 2017,[112] and again in March 2018.[113] However, by November 2018 it was reported that the Taiwanese military leadership abandoned the F-35 program in favor of the F-16V Viper. Reportedly, the decision was motivated by concerns about industry independence, and Chinese espionage concerns.[114]
- Royal Thai Air Force – 8 or 12 planned to replace F-16A/B Block 15 ADF in service. On 12 January 2022, Thailand's cabinet approved a budget for the first four F-35A, estimated at 13.8 billion baht in FY2023.[115][116][117] On 22 May 2023 The United States Department of Defense has implied it will turn down Thailand's bid to buy F-35 fighter jets, and instead offer F-16V Viper and F-15EX Eagle II fighters, a Royal Thai Air Force source said.[118]
- Turkish Air Force – 4 F-35A delivered and withheld[119][120] at Luke Air Force Base. 30 F-35s were ordered,[121] of up to 100 total planned.[122][123] Future purchases have been banned by the U.S. with contracts canceled by early 2020.[120] On 1 February 2024 the U.S. expressed a willingness to readmit Turkey into the F-35 program in the event of a satisfactory resolution of the S-400 issue.[124]
- United Arab Emirates Air Force – Up to 50 had been planned, although the sale was suspended and reviewed by the Biden administration.[125][126] In December 2021 UAE withdrew from the purchase of F-35s as it did not agree to the additional contract terms added by the US.[127][128]
Ship-based platforms
Ship-based platform activation includes:[129]
USS Essex (LHD-2)- USS Wasp (LHD-1)
- USS America (LHA-6)
HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08)- USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
Italian aircraft carrier Cavour (550)- USS Makin Island (LHD-8)
- USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
- HMS Prince of Wales (R09)
- USS Tripoli (LHA-7)
- USS Boxer (LHD-4)
- USS George Washington (CVN-73) (planned for 2023)
- Italian aircraft carrier Trieste (L9890) (planned for 2024)
- USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) (planned for 2025)
- USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) (planned for 2026)
- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) (planned for 2026)
JS Izumo (DDH-183) (planned for 2027)- USS Bataan (LHD-5) (planned for 2028)
- USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) (planned for 2028)
- USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) (planned for 2028)
- JS Kaga (DDH-184) (planned for 2028)
CVX-class aircraft carrier (planned for 2030)
See also
Notes
References
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