Recently was reported that the United States had finally approved a deal for the delivery of fifth-generation F-35 fighters under production Lots 18 and 19, nearly 300 aircraft worth over 24 billion dollars in total. However, these contracts do not include engines from Pratt & Whitney, which are supplied under separate agreements.
As before, the contract for F135 engines for the F-35 will be signed with a delay, according to Air and Space Forces Magazine citing the Joint Program Office for the F-35.
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Although the agreement was initially expected to be finalized this fall, it is now scheduled for spring 2026, meaning the delay could range from several months to half a year.
It is also worth noting that the airframe contract for Lots 18 and 19, mentioned earlier, was itself delayed. Despite negotiations being completed back in the fall of 2024, the official signing was postponed three times, first to spring, then to summer, and finally to the fall of this year.
Earlier, U.S. sources highlighted a broader issue with F135 engine deliveries, with the average delay reaching around 238 days.
Previously, Defense Express reported which European country, after rejecting the F-35, may turn to Turkiye for KAAN fighters.
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