F-35 Long-Lead Funding

The US Department of Defense released funds in late May to buy six F-35A Lightning II conventional takeoff and landing aircraft for the US Air Force and gave provisional approval to purchase six F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing aircraft for the US Marine Corps after a senior-level review is held and the variant makes its inaugural flight. The dozen aircraft will be built in the second phase of F-35 low-rate initial production. As of late May, seventeen preproduction F-35s are in assembly. The first two production F-35s are currently being assembled. Long-lead funding for LRIP 3, the third lot of F-35s, was released on 14 May. That contract calls for production of at least eighteen additional F-35s.