FORT WORTH, Texas — May 16, 2026 : Lockheed Martin has received a $991.13 million firm-fixed-price contract to produce 432 electronic warfare modernization kits for the global fleet of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, in one of the largest single capability upgrade awards issued under the fifth-generation fighter program.
The contract was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command on May 15, 2026, under a previously established basic ordering agreement. The order covers the production and delivery of material modification kits intended to retrofit operational F-35 aircraft with upgraded electronic warfare systems and associated capability enhancements.
Work under the contract will be performed at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facilities in Fort Worth, Texas, with completion scheduled for March 2032. The award was issued without a competitive bidding process, consistent with the procurement structure used for long-term F-35 sustainment and modernization activities.
Distribution of Upgrade Kits Across U.S. and Allied Fleets
The 432 modernization kits will be distributed among U.S. military services and international F-35 operators.
According to contract details, the United States allocation totals 193 kits, including 97 for the U.S. Air Force, 54 for the U.S. Marine Corps, and 42 for the U.S. Navy.
International customers account for the remaining 239 kits, including 133 for non-U.S. Department of War program participants and 106 for Foreign Military Sales customers. The combined international allocation exceeds the total U.S. procurement quantity, reflecting the growing operational reliance of allied air forces on the F-35 platform and the alignment of modernization schedules across partner nations.
The retrofit kits are intended for aircraft already in operational service and will likely be installed during scheduled maintenance periods and depot-level upgrade cycles.
Modernization Linked to F-35 Block 4 Upgrade Program
The electronic warfare upgrades form part of the broader F-35 Block 4 modernization effort, which introduces incremental hardware and software improvements designed to maintain the aircraft’s operational effectiveness against evolving air defense threats.
The F-35A Lightning II, F-35B Lightning II, and F-35C Lightning II all share a common electronic warfare architecture, allowing a single modernization package to be applied across the broader international fleet.
The F-35A is operated by the U.S. Air Force and most international users, while the F-35B serves the Marine Corps and allied operators including the United Kingdom. The carrier-based F-35C is used by the U.S. Navy for carrier strike operations.
The common architecture across all variants simplifies integration, logistics support, software management, and future capability upgrades throughout the program.
AN/ASQ-239 Electronic Warfare System
The modernization effort centers on upgrades to the AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare system developed by BAE Systems.
The AN/ASQ-239 provides radar warning, threat detection, signal analysis, geolocation, and electronic attack capabilities across a wide electromagnetic spectrum. The system enables F-35 pilots to detect, identify, and respond to hostile radar emissions and missile guidance systems before the aircraft can be effectively targeted.
In addition to defensive functions, the system supports electronic attack operations designed to jam, disrupt, or deceive adversary radar and communications networks.
Electronic warfare data generated by the system is integrated into the F-35’s sensor fusion architecture, combining inputs from onboard radar, electro-optical targeting systems, distributed aperture sensors, datalinks, and other mission systems to generate a unified tactical picture for the pilot.
Response to Evolving Air Defense Threats
The modernization program is intended to address continuing advancements in integrated air defense systems and radar technologies developed by potential adversaries, particularly systems optimized to detect and track low-observable stealth aircraft.
Defense analysts have increasingly identified improvements in long-range radar systems, passive detection networks, multi-band tracking systems, and advanced surface-to-air missile architectures developed by China and Russia as major drivers behind ongoing modernization requirements for fifth-generation aircraft.
Upgrading the F-35’s electronic warfare suite is intended to preserve survivability, situational awareness, and mission effectiveness in increasingly contested electromagnetic environments.
The retrofit approach also allows existing aircraft already in operational service to remain aligned with the latest mission-system standards instead of limiting upgrades to newly produced aircraft.
Long-Term Sustainment and International Program Expansion
Funding for the contract includes fiscal year 2026 and prior-year aircraft procurement appropriations from the Air Force and Navy, along with Foreign Military Sales funding and financial contributions from international program participants.
The award further reinforces Lockheed Martin’s role as the prime contractor responsible for F-35 production, sustainment, modernization, and lifecycle support activities.
The F-35 remains the world’s largest fifth-generation fighter aircraft program, with more than a dozen allied nations operating or preparing to operate the platform as their primary multirole combat aircraft.
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