The Ministry of Support has actually validated that the UK anticipates to have actually taken shipment of its 75th F-35 Lightning airplane by the end of 2033, according to a composed legislative solution.
Reacting to a concern from Lord West of Spithead on 5 January 2026, Support Preacher Lord Coaker claimed ” the Division anticipates to take shipment of its 75th F-35 airplane by the end of 2033.” The concern asked when the federal government anticipated to have actually taken shipment of 74 F-35 jets.
The solution offers an upgraded indicator of the lasting shipment timeline for the UK’s F-35 fleet, which underpins both the Royal Flying Force and Royal Navy’s provider strike capacity. The UK has actually devoted to acquiring a minimum of 74 airplane, with choices for additional buys past that standard.
Since January 2026, development on distribution stays concentrated on finishing the present tranche. According to a different legislative solution from Veterans and Individuals Preacher Louise Sandher-Jones, the UK had actually obtained 41 F-35 airplane since 12 November 2025, out of 48 prepared to be supplied by the end of that year.
The F-35 Lightning II is run collectively by the RAF and Royal Navy, with airplane designated to RAF Marham and regularly began aboard the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class attack aircraft carrier. Distributions past the preliminary 48 airplane are anticipated to proceed via the 2030s as the program shifts from very early functional capacity to a totally mature fleet.