MILITARY
Spotlight op orders voor Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter
April 11, 2025 - A number of significant deals have been inked with the U.S. to buy the F-35, either to expand existing fleets or to replace old aircraft with the fifth-generation fighter.
The impetus for investment into the U.S. platform has been the lesson of the air war in Ukraine. Hindered both by modern as well as Cold War-era air defences, the conflict has shown that fourth-generation aircraft struggle on the battlefield.
And without control of the air, the fight on the ground in Ukraine has turned into a grinding, attritional struggle with echoes of World War I over a century before.
Several nations, therefore, have decided that despite the steep price tag compared to older fighters, the F-35, with its stealth capabilities, advanced sensors, and networking capabilities, is an increasingly necessary upgrade to prepare for future conflicts in an increasingly hostile environment, according to 19FortyFive.
- Lockheed Martin F-35: The real winner in the Ukraine war (19FortyFive)
- Will Lockheed’s F-35 become a casualty of Donald Trump? (FT)
- Norway becomes first F-35 partner nation to complete program of record (The Aviationist)
- UK confirms operational independence of F-35 fleet (UK Defence Journal)
- IDF strengthens air dominance with latest F-35 arrivals (Jerusalem Post)