The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II has been ordered by numerous foreign air forces, both those which were partners in the JSF program, as well as those who were not partners but which placed export orders.
F-35s Acquired by JSF Partners
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is a Level One Partner in the JSF program. The Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy both operate the F-35B VSTOL version, which is known as Lightning (without the “II”) in UK service. It replaces the Harrier GR9 and the Tornado GR4. The 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review confirmed the intention of th UK to buy 138 F-35Bs.
No 17 (Reserve) Test and Evaluation Squadron became in Apri 2013 the first British squadron to operate the type. No 617 Squadron (Dambusters) was the first RAF front-line squadron to operate the Lightning. It was declared combat ready in January 2019. The second RAF squadron to operate the type was No 207 squadron, which was formed in August 2019 the the Lightning operational conversion unit. No 809 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm was scheduled to receive the Lightning in April 2023
On April 2019, No. 617 Squadron deployed to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, the type’s first overseas deployment.[280] On 25 June 2019, the first combat use of an RAF F-35B was reportedly undertaken as armed reconnaissance flights searching for Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria. In October 2019, Lightnings were embarked on HMS Queen Elizabeth for the first time. No. 617 Squadron departed RAF Marham on 22 January 2020 for their first Exercise Red Flag with the Lightning.
Israel
Israel is a Security Cooperative Participant in the JSF program. The F-35 is known as the F-35I Adir (Hebrew for Awesome or Mighty One) in Israeli AF service. 50 have been ordered and 75 are planned. The F-35I has unique Israeli-developed modifications, including Israeli-developed electronic warfare systems. The first Israeli F-35A was unveiled in June 2016. On december 12, 2016, Isreal received its first shipment of F-35Is. The first nine F-35Is became operational with the Israeli AF on 6 December 2017.
The F-35I first participated in combat operations in May 2018 in missions against Iranian targets over Iraq and Syria. This was the first combat use of the F-35 by any nation in the world. Supposedly, three F-35Is flew undetected in July 2018 to Iran’s capital Teheran and back.
Australia
Australia is a Level 3 partner in the JSF program. A total of 100 F-35As are on order to replace the RAAF’s F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. The first F-35A squadron, Number 3 Squadron, will be operational in 2021.
Denmark
Denmark is a Level 3 partner in the JSF program. A total of 27 F-35As for the Royal Danish Air Force are planned
Italy
Italy is a Level 2 partner in the JSF program. Up to 60 F-35As and 15 F-35Bs planned for the Italian AF. The Italian Navy plans for 15 F-35Bs. Alenia Aermacchi will be the second source supplier of the wing box. Under the terms of agreement Alenia Aeronautica is slated to produce more than 1,200 wings for the F-35 for the nine partners,
Netherlands
The Netherlands are a Level 2 partner in the JSF program. 46 F-35As ordered
Norway
Norway is a Level 3 partner in the JSF program A otal of 52 F-35As for the Royal Norwgian Air Force are planned.
Singapore
Singapore is a Security Cooperative Participant in the JSF program.
Republic of Singapore AF plans for up to 12 F-35Bs.
Turkey
Turkey had been a Level 3 partner in the JSF program. Turkey had planned for up to 120 F-35As. On 30 June 2018, Turkey received its first F-35 at Lockheed Martin facilities in Fort Worth, Texas. The first aircraft, with tail number 18-0001, was to be assigned to Luke Air Force Base for pilot training. Future purchases have been banned by the U.S. with contracts canceled by early 2020. This was done because of US annoyance at Turkey purchasing the S-400 Russian-made air defense system, which allegedly would put the F-35 secrets at risk. On 17 July 2019, following the delivery of Russian S-400 air defence systems, the United States announced that Turkey would be removed from the F-35 program. Besides the ban on training of pilots and delivery of the aircraft, the move would also include removing Turkey from the supply chain for the F-35s it already has.
F-35 Exports
Belgium
34 F-35As are planned
Japan
Japan’s arms export ban had kept it out of the development phase of the F-35 project, which has contributed to the decline of its arms industries so Japan considered an off the shelf purchase of the F-35 with no national industrial participation. The Japanese Air Self Defense Force has ordered 104 F-35As and 42 F-35Bs. In August of 2013 it was announced that Japanese companies would manufacture some components of the F-35 related to the engine and to the radar.
Poland
32 F-35As on order
South Korea
The Republic of Korea Air Force has ordered 60 F-35As. The Republic of Korea Navy has ordered an unspecified numbe of F-35Bs.
Potential Exports
Czech Republic
The Czech Air Force has been offered 24 F-35As to replace their 14 leased JAS 39 Gripens
Finland
The Finnish Air Force has expressed an interest in the F-35. The F-35 will be competing against the Eurofighter, the Dassault Rafale, the Boeing Super Hornet,and the JAS Gripen.
Greece
Lockheed Martin has offered the F-35 to the Hellenic Air Force, but the Greek government’s debt crisis has delayed any order until the 2020s.
India
India has expressed interest in acquiring the F-35, but any deal would have to include local manufacturing.
Indonesia
Due to pressure from the United States, Indonesia cancelled its order for Russion Su-35 jets. Indonesia will now consider ordering the F-35.
Romania
The Romanian Ministry of Defence has expressed an interest in buying the F-35 for its air force sometime after 2020.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has expressed an interest in acquiring the F-35.
Spain
Spain has expressed an interest in the F-35. The Spanish Navy is looking for the F-35B to replace its carrier-operated Harrier VTOL aircraft, and the Spanish Air Force is investigating the F-35A to replace its aging fleet of F-18 Hornet aircraft.
Switzerland
Switzerland had expressed an interest in the F-35 as a replacement for its Northrop F-5 and McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. Originally, the SAAB Gripen was to have replaced these aircraft, but this was rejected by Swiss voters in 2014. So the Swiss government had to look elsewhere. contenders would be the Dassault Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Boeing F/A-13E/F Super Hornet, as well as the F-35.
Export Proposals That Fell Through
Canada
Canada is a Level 3 partner in the JSF program. In 2010, the Candian government under Stephen Harper’s Conservative party had proposed to buy 65 F-35s to replace the CF-18 Hornets of the Canadian Air Force. However, the F-35 became controversial in Canadian politics, and the Liberal Party of Canada under Justin Trudeau won a large majority on October 19, 2015, in part under a promise not to buy the F-35. They would look for an aircraft more suited to replace the CF-18. But there could be future orders for the F-35.
Germany
Germany had briefly considered the F-35 as a replacement for its fleet of Panavia Tornado aircraft. However, the German government decided instead on the Boeing Super Hornet as well as an additional order for the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Taiwan
Taiwan had requested to buy the F-35, but this was rejected by the US because of the fear of a critical response from China. In addition, it was feared that exporting of the F-35 to Taiwan would be a security risk due to worries of Chinese spies being within the Taiwan military. In addition, it was feared that a Taiwanese F-35 pilot might defect with his aircraft to the Mainland. In 2018, Taiwan abandoned its attempt to acquire the F-35 in favor of F-16V Viper aircraft.
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates had expressed an interest in the F-35, but this was turned down by the US out of fears that it ccould erode Israel’s qualitive edge against potentially hostile neighbors. US officials were also worried bbout the United Arab Emirates Air Force’s plan to jointly develop and procure a fifth-generation combat aircraft with Russia.
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