Lockheed Awarded $225M Dutch F-35A Support Contract

Lockheed Martin has won a contract valued $225 million to support the Netherlands’ F-35A fighter aircraft.

This modification increases the ceiling to procure long lead-time materials, parts, components, and effort for the production of three Lot 15 F-35A aircraft and nine Lot 16 F-35 aircraft for the government of the Netherlands.

Work is expected to be completed in May 2026.

The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) plans to procure 46 F-35As (of which 37 are on order) to replace its fleet of F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcons. As per the country’s latest Defence Paper, the Netherlands MoD has committed to purchasing six additional F-35As.

The RNLAF has so far taken delivery of 26 F-35s with a further seven to be passed on from Lockheed Martin by the end of the current year.

All Dutch F-35As will be armed with modern long-range and precision weapons, enabling strategic targets such as integrated air defence systems to be countered.

“We have ordered extra F-35 jets and we are looking into long-range missiles for them, to equip them, which is also a big step for us,” Minister of Defense Kajsa Ollongren said on July 14 during a conversation organized by the Atlantic Council.