F-35 & Full-Rate Production .. What Does it Mean?

by Olawale Abaire, Warrior Editorial Fellow

The F-35A Lightning II, assigned to the 134th Fighter Squadron, 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air, has been given the green light for full-rate production. This significant milestone was announced by U.S. Undersecretary of Defense, William LaPlante, who described it as a “major achievement” for the F-35 program.

Interestingly, this announcement came just a day after the Air Force decided to reduce its 2025 purchases. While the aircraft is of course already in production, the formal transition to full-rate production necessitates a stable control over the aircraft manufacturing process, satisfactory performance and reliability, and the establishment of sufficient sustainment and support systems, as per the Department of Defense (DoD).

While this is progress, it’s worth noting that it’s somewhat overdue. The DoD had initially planned to approve full F-35 production four years earlier.

Air War in 2050 – F-35 & 6th Gen Stealth Aircraft

Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, director and program executive officer for the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), praised the improvements made in the multi-nation program over the last decade. He expressed enthusiasm about the program’s future, stating that “the Program and our great people can now focus on the future of the F-35 instead of the past.”

The F-35’s history is extensive. It originated from the Lockheed Martin X-35, which outperformed Boeing’s X-32 in a flyoff to win the Joint Strike Fighter program in 2001. The aircraft’s development began in 2002, and it first took to the skies in 2006. The Marines (F-35B) began using it in 2015, followed by the Air Force (F-35A) in 2016, and the Navy (F-35C) in 2019. Initial production commenced in 2004, meaning it took two decades for the Lightning II to achieve full-rate production.