Netherlands F-35 Order: 12 More F-35A Jets

The Netherlands has placed a fresh order for 12 F-35A jets to bolster NATO airpower.

The Netherlands F-35 order was confirmed on September 19, 2025: the U.S. Department of Defense awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.2 billion contract to supply 12 additional F-35A Lightning II fighters for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Deliveries are scheduled across 2027–2028, and once the batch arrives the Netherlands will operate 60 F-35As in total.

Lockheed Martin will handle production and delivery under the Pentagon contract. The F-35A is the conventional takeoff and landing variant of the Lightning II family and is the backbone of several NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) air forces’ fifth-generation fleets. Dutch leaders say the purchase strengthens deterrence and rapid-response capabilities in Europe.

Why the Netherlands F-35 order matters

Adding 12 jets keeps the Royal Netherlands Air Force aligned with allied modernization plans and improves interoperability on NATO missions. The purchase supports common logistics, training, and shared mission systems that make joint operations smoother. For a small country, concentrated investments like this amplify regional air defense and strategic flexibility.

• What the order includes: 12 F-35A Lightning II fighters under a $1.2 billion contract announced September 19, 2025.
• Delivery timeframe: 2027–2028, bringing the Netherlands fleet to a total of 60 F-35As.
• Impact: stronger NATO interoperability, faster response options across Europe, and continued sustainment work for allied supply chains.

The deal also sustains jobs and supply-chain activity connected to F-35 sustainment across partner nations. While details about specific basing and squadron allocations were not released with the contract announcement, the incremental deliveries are expected to be distributed to Dutch operating bases as crews complete conversion and training.

In short, this acquisition is a measured upgrade to Dutch airpower: it expands an already established F-35 fleet, keeps the Netherlands integrated with NATO systems, and locks in capability improvements ahead of evolving regional security needs.

Sources

• No external source URL was provided with the original brief.