The nine non-US countries signed up as partners on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program have a combined airframe requirement of 600 to 800—basically equivalent to the whole Navy/Marine Corps planned buy. Those export aircraft are worth some $60 billion. And, Lockheed officials expect there will be additional, non-partner countries interested in purchasing the JSF. More than 30 countries eventually bought—and are buying—the F-35’s predecessor, the F-16. Lockheed has built about 4,500 F-16 fighters.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
