"Could Become the Largest Contract in 25 Years of Project History"! U.S. Media: The Pentagon Plans to Purchase at Least 850 F-35 Fighter Jets Over the Next 10 Years, But Still Needs Congressional Authorization for Funding

【Global Network Report by Reporter Yan Peiyun】“The Pentagon plans to purchase at least 850 F-35 fighter jets produced by Lockheed Martin, which will be the largest contract in the 25-year history of the program.” According to reports from U.S. Bloomberg and Defense News, the Pentagon announced on the 22nd local time that it has signed a preliminary agreement with Lockheed Martin to produce at least 850 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets over the next 10 years. This agreement still requires authorization and funding from the U.S. Congress.

According to reports, under this agreement, Lockheed Martin will manufacture 850 F-35 fighter jets, fulfill international orders, and produce initial spare parts and modification kits.

The Pentagon stated that as part of the agreement, Lockheed Martin will contribute at least $7 billion of its own funds “to support various measures for the F-35 program.” Lockheed Martin indicated that under this agreement, the company plans to produce 156 aircraft of the relevant models each year.

Reports indicate that the Pentagon did not disclose the potential total cost of this newly announced agreement. Reuters stated that the agreement is worth at least $78 billion. It has been reported that cost overruns and the high price per aircraft of the F-35 program have kept it under close scrutiny by Congress. In the fiscal year 2026, Congress only allocated funds for the procurement of 47 F-35 aircraft.

According to U.S. media reports, the aforementioned agreement is classified as a pre-arranged long-term contract and does not constitute a formal order. The execution of the agreement still requires authorization and funding from Congress. Additionally, the agreement faces funding obstacles. The U.S. Congress has yet to approve the full-year defense budget. A temporary funding bill to keep the federal government operating until December 11 will also maintain spending at last year's levels.

This news has sparked attention on social media, with some netizens expressing critical views. Some netizens stated, “Without war, what is America?” Others bluntly pointed out that the root of the military procurement agreement lies in the interests of the U.S. military-industrial complex. There are also criticisms stating, “Weapons were originally manufactured for war, but now wars are initiated to sell weapons. Let’s see what price humanity will ultimately pay for these 850 war machines.”