Which Countries Helped Develop And Build The F-35 And What Did They Do?

While the world has seen lots of fighter jets since the first one entered combat in 1944, few have been as awe-inspiring as the F-35. The F-35, officially known as the F-35 Lightning II, has been around for decades, with its first flight dating back to 2006. Its lead manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, describes it as "the centerpiece of 21st-century global security," and this can be seen in the plane's systems and machinery, which have made the F-35 perhaps the most advanced jet in the world. 

While 19 countries are involved with building the F-35 Lightning II today, It was a smaller group that came together to bring this feat in aviation history to life. American defense and aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin was the prime contractor for the aircraft, yes, but nine countries ended up collaborating in its development. Let's explore each of them and see what they brought to the table.  

The F-35's history dates back to the late 1990s, when the U.S. came up with the idea of a lightweight, well-armed — but cheaper — aircraft that would be easily adaptable for the Air Force, Navy and Marines. This spawned the Joint Strike Fighter program,  with American companies such as Lockheed Martin, General Electric, Northrop Grumman, and Pratt & Whitney serving as key partners. And eight countries stepped up to lend a hand: the United Kingdom, Denmark, Australia, Turkey, Norway, Canada, Italy, and the Netherlands. 

The program opened up three levels of partnership, to which countries interested in the F-35 could contribute. Their contributions dictated the level they would settle into and, thus, the benefits they would enjoy. The first level demanded a 10% contribution to the plane's multi-billion-dollar development cost. The second level required a $1 billion contribution, while the final level's contribution ranged between $125 million and $175 million. 

The United Kingdom, present in the project since Day 1, was the only level one partner. Its key contributions included some from British manufacturer BAE Systems, which provided cutting-edge software, including for networking, communication, and navigation. BAE also developed designs such as life support systems. Before the aircraft's concept was settled upon, specialists from the U.K. made suggestions and offered solutions for the final design. As the project took off, more British manufacturers got involved, including Rolls-Royce, which contributed its short take-off and vertical landing system. A British pilot even made the first test flight.

The Netherlands and Italy were the only countries to join the program at a level two partner status. Although the Netherlands joined the Joint Striker Fighter program in 1997, it wasn't until 2002 that it graduated into being a System Design and Development partner. It secured a number of contracts through companies such as GKN Fokker that allowed it to work on the F-35's landing gear maintenance, doors, hatches and drag parachute system. Other Dutch companies focused on the aircraft's energy supply systems, radar systems, and mechanical components.

Italy joined the Joint Striker Fighter program a year after the Netherlands, signing up at the concept demonstration phase. Among Italy's biggest contributions to the program is providing segments of the F-35's wings through the aeronautics company Alenia Aermacchi. Additionally, Italy opened up a final assembly and checkout line in Cameri, producing F-35s for Italy and the Netherlands as well as providing maintenance, overhauls and updates for the F-35s operating in the Euro-Mediterranean area. The center has already produced a number of flight-ready F-35s.

Denmark joined the program at level three partner status in 2002, eager to help shape the F-35. At the time, the program was in its design and development phase, and Denmark was heavily involved with its technical aspects, even offering a Danish F-16 as a chase plane. The Danish company Terma has worked on the F-35 since the 2000s, providing items such as air-to-ground pylons, center fuselage composite panels, horizontal and vertical tail composite skins, engine element rings, and radar modules. Denmark still manufactures parts for upcoming F-35 jets.

Australia is another pillar of the Joint Strike Fighter program, also joining at level three partner status in 2002. Australia has provided critical support through companies such as Marand, which supplies vertical tails. Additionally, Australia has had its defense officials involved in the program's test and evaluation stages since 2010, with specialists like pilots and engineers at Eglin Air Force Base, Luke Air Force Base, and Lockheed Martin Fort Worth. Over 70 Australian companies have been involved with the F-35 project, from production and maintenance to repair and overhaul support, with the value of the contracts going beyond $2.5 billion.

Norway, Turkey, and Canada are the final level three countries that signed on to help develop the F-35. The first, Norway, has been working through the Norwegian defense company Kongsberg to supply the F-35's vertical leading edges, air-to-air pylons, and landing-gear closeout panels. Additionally, the company produces components for the aircraft's center fuselage.

Turkey joined the program in 2002, aiming to contribute approximately $175 million. Turkish Aerospace Industries contracted to provide key F-35 components, such as the center fuselage, while other Turkish companies, such as Alp Aviation and Kale Aerospace, supplied parts including airframe structures. However, Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after buying air-defense missiles from Russia, though Turkey continued to supply parts for a few years. Alone among the original partners, it owns no F-35s.

Canada was a part of the Joint Strike Fighter as it breathed to life in 1997. Like the other countries, Canada has been working through its companies, key of which is the Magellan Aerospace Corporation. Magellan's Kitchener, Ontario plant made history as the first international partner to supply F-35 parts in 2003. The company has provided several parts, including vane box assemblies, horizontal tails, and transition ducts. 

The F-35 Lightning II has three distinct, imposing variants, each equally powerful. Besides eight of the original nine partners, eight other countries, customers of U.S. Foreign Military Sales, have them in their arsenals: Japan, Poland, Israel, Switzerland, Belgium, South Korea, Finland, and Singapore.