The F-35 is a symbol of U.S. military and technological might. With a cost of more than $2 trillion over the program’s life cycle, the F-35 has been called the world’s most expensive weapon, reports The Wall Street Journal (May 6, 2025).
Overall, the jet fighter, made by Lockheed Martin, has more than 1,900 suppliers from about a dozen countries that provide everything from tiny chip boards to the ejector seat. “Like many companies in the industry, our supply chain and customer base are global, and we import raw materials, parts and modules from around the world,” said the CEO of RTX, which makes the fighter’s engines.
The fighter has been a particularly successful export, with more than 1,100 jets sold to 20 countries since it entered service in 2015. The program was partly financed by the U.K., Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada and Denmark, whose companies then won contracts to supply components. (Foreign governments increasingly seek greater involvement in the production of the U.S. equipment they buy).
British companies contribute about 15% of the value of each aircraft. Much of that is made in Britain. BAE Systems produces one of the plane’s fuselages and the pilot’s control stick in the U.K. Rolls-Royce supplies the technology that allows one variant of the F-35 to take off and land vertically. Even the jet’s ejector seat is made in Britain. Australia provides components for the jet’s avionics and propulsion systems. In Denmark, one company alone—Terma— has made 30,000 parts for the program so far, including pods that hold the machine gun.
The U.S. accounted for 43% of global weapons exports in the five years ended 2024. The U.S. accounted for about 3% of imports.
Classroom discussion questions:
- Will tariffs have a major impact on F-35 sales?
- What are the plusses and minuses of such global supply chains?