Which Country Has More F-35 Lightning II Jets on Order Than All Other Countries Combined?

Recently, leading global security, defense and aerospace contractor Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) announced a new deal with the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland. For $11.8 billion, Lockheed Martin will produce 145 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets for the U.S. military and its allies. More specifically, 48 F-35A aircraft will go to the U.S. Air Force, 16 F-35B and five F-35C to the U.S. Marine Corps, 15 F-35A and one F-35B for non-military customers, 14 F-35C for the U.S. Navy, and 39 F-35A and seven F-35B for allied nations. The F-35 Lightning II is an extremely valuable aircraft for military forces, considering its advanced avionics, expansive range, and fast speed. (If you had one week to live, which of these military aircraft are you flying?)

To identify which countries are buying the most F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ranked these countries based on the number of F-35 jets each country has on order. We also included supplementary information about the number of active F-35s in each country’s fleet, the specific military branches that will be using these aircraft, and which variants of the F-35 (F-35A, F-35B, or F-35C) are on order or already in active service.

Why Talk F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jets?

The F-35 Lightning II is considered to be the most advanced fighter jet in the world today. This fifth-generation supersonic stealth multirole jet is designed for a variety of military missions. As such, the F-35 Lightning II is an extremely important part of national security and the prevention of future conflicts. The cost per plane (including ancillary costs like equipment and maintenance) is high, ranging from $82.5 to $109 million. Still, Lockheed Martin helps to create jobs and boost the economy, especially in the United States where these jets are manufactured. By learning about the popularity and ordering of F-35 Lightning II jets, you can better understand which militaries are prioritizing adding this type of aircraft to their fleets, while also recognizing the impact that this industry has on people and economies.

Check out the countries buying the most F-35 Lightning II fighter jets:

20. Singapore

• Aircraft on order: 12
• Active aircraft: 0
• Military branches: Republic of Singapore Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35

19. Norway

• Aircraft on order: 12
• Active aircraft: 40
• Military branches: Royal Norwegian Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

18. Denmark

• Aircraft on order: 17
• Active aircraft: 10
• Military branches: Royal Danish Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

17. Netherlands

• Aircraft on order: 18
• Active aircraft: 34
• Military branches: Royal Netherlands Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

16. Czech Republic

• Aircraft on order: 24
• Active aircraft: 0
• Military branches: Czech Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

15. South Korea

• Aircraft on order: 25
• Active aircraft: 40
• Military branches: Republic of Korea Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

14. Poland

• Aircraft on order: 32
• Active aircraft: 0
• Military branches: Polish Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

13. Belgium

• Aircraft on order: 34
• Active aircraft: 0
• Military branches: Belgian Air Component
• Variant(s): F-35A

12. Germany

• Aircraft on order: 35
• Active aircraft: 0
• Military branches: German Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

11. Israel

• Aircraft on order: 36
• Active aircraft: 39
• Military branches: Israel Air and Space Force
• Variant(s): F-35I

10. Switzerland

Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (CC BY-SA 4.0) by :u0410u043du0434u0440u0435u043912.06.1992

• Aircraft on order: 36
• Active aircraft: 0
• Military branches: Swiss Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

9. Australia

• Aircraft on order: 37
• Active aircraft: 63
• Military branches: Royal Australian Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

8. Romania

Vermont National Guard (CC BY 2.0) by The National Guard

• Aircraft on order: 48
• Active aircraft: 0
• Military branches: Romanian Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

7. United Arab Emirates

• Aircraft on order: 50
• Active aircraft: 0
• Military branches: United Arab Emirates Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

6. Finland

IAF-F-35I-and-F-16I-nf (CC BY 4.0 DEED) by Israeli Air Force

• Aircraft on order: 64
• Active aircraft: 0
• Military branches: Finnish Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

5. Italy

• Aircraft on order: 65
• Active aircraft: 25
• Military branches: Italian Air Force, Italian Navy
• Variant(s): F-35A/B

4. Canada

• Aircraft on order: 88
• Active aircraft: 0
• Military branches: Royal Canadian Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35A

3. United Kingdom

• Aircraft on order: 105
• Active aircraft: 29
• Military branches: Royal Air Force
• Variant(s): F-35B

2. Japan

Two F-35C Lightning II aircraf... (CC BY 2.0) by Official U.S. Navy Page

• Aircraft on order: 110
• Active aircraft: 36
• Military branches: Japan Air Self-Defence Force
• Variant(s): F-35A/B

1. United States

• Aircraft on order: 1,855
• Active aircraft: 553
• Military branches: United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy
• Variant(s): F-35A/B/C