With 48 F-35Bs contracted and a further 27 being negotiated, the UK government has restated its commitment to buying 138 aircraft over the 30-plus-year life of the programme. (Crown Copyright)

The United Kingdom has reasserted its commitment to procuring 138 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning combat aircraft, having recently shied away from the full programme of record (PoR) number.

Answering questions in the House of Commons, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) James Cartlidge said on 5 February that “the UK remains committed to 138 aircraft through the life of the programme”.

The minister's statement ended a prolonged period in which the UK government had publicly stopped referring to the 138-aircraft PoR for the F-35, instead saying that, with 48 F-35Bs now under contract, a second tranche of 27 F-35Bs would be negotiated for a fleet of 74 aircraft in the early 2030s (these numbers take into account an aircraft lost overboard from HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021).

With 48 F-35Bs contracted and a further 27 being negotiated, the UK government has restated its commitment to buying 138 aircraft over the 30-plus-year life of the programme. (Crown Copyright)

The United Kingdom has reasserted its commitment to procuring 138 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning combat aircraft, having recently shied away from the full programme of record (PoR) number.

Answering questions in the House of Commons, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) James Cartlidge said on 5 February that “the UK remains committed to 138 aircraft through the life of the programme”.

The minister's statement ended a prolonged period in which the UK government had publicly stopped referring to the 138-aircraft PoR for the F-35, instead saying that, with 48 F-35Bs now under contract, a second tranche of 27 F-35Bs would be negotiated for a fleet of 74 aircraft in the early 2030s (these numbers take into account an aircraft lost overboard from HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021).

With 48 F-35Bs contracted and a further 27 being negotiated, the UK government has restated its commitment to buying 138 aircraft over the 30-plus-year life of the programme. (Crown Copyright)

The United Kingdom has reasserted its commitment to procuring 138 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning combat aircraft, having recently shied away from the full programme of record (PoR) number.

Answering questions in the House of Commons, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) James Cartlidge said on 5 February that “the UK remains committed to 138 aircraft through the life of the programme”.

The minister's statement ended a prolonged period in which the UK government had publicly stopped referring to the 138-aircraft PoR for the F-35, instead saying that, with 48 F-35Bs now under contract, a second tranche of 27 F-35Bs would be negotiated for a fleet of 74 aircraft in the early 2030s (these numbers take into account an aircraft lost overboard from HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021).

With 48 F-35Bs contracted and a further 27 being negotiated, the UK government has restated its commitment to buying 138 aircraft over the 30-plus-year life of the programme. (Crown Copyright)

The United Kingdom has reasserted its commitment to procuring 138 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning combat aircraft, having recently shied away from the full programme of record (PoR) number.

Answering questions in the House of Commons, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) James Cartlidge said on 5 February that “the UK remains committed to 138 aircraft through the life of the programme”.

The minister's statement ended a prolonged period in which the UK government had publicly stopped referring to the 138-aircraft PoR for the F-35, instead saying that, with 48 F-35Bs now under contract, a second tranche of 27 F-35Bs would be negotiated for a fleet of 74 aircraft in the early 2030s (these numbers take into account an aircraft lost overboard from HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021).

With 48 F-35Bs contracted and a further 27 being negotiated, the UK government has restated its commitment to buying 138 aircraft over the 30-plus-year life of the programme. (Crown Copyright)

The United Kingdom has reasserted its commitment to procuring 138 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning combat aircraft, having recently shied away from the full programme of record (PoR) number.

Answering questions in the House of Commons, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) James Cartlidge said on 5 February that “the UK remains committed to 138 aircraft through the life of the programme”.

The minister's statement ended a prolonged period in which the UK government had publicly stopped referring to the 138-aircraft PoR for the F-35, instead saying that, with 48 F-35Bs now under contract, a second tranche of 27 F-35Bs would be negotiated for a fleet of 74 aircraft in the early 2030s (these numbers take into account an aircraft lost overboard from HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021).

With 48 F-35Bs contracted and a further 27 being negotiated, the UK government has restated its commitment to buying 138 aircraft over the 30-plus-year life of the programme. (Crown Copyright)

The United Kingdom has reasserted its commitment to procuring 138 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning combat aircraft, having recently shied away from the full programme of record (PoR) number.

Answering questions in the House of Commons, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) James Cartlidge said on 5 February that “the UK remains committed to 138 aircraft through the life of the programme”.

The minister's statement ended a prolonged period in which the UK government had publicly stopped referring to the 138-aircraft PoR for the F-35, instead saying that, with 48 F-35Bs now under contract, a second tranche of 27 F-35Bs would be negotiated for a fleet of 74 aircraft in the early 2030s (these numbers take into account an aircraft lost overboard from HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021).