The United Kingdom has inked the contract for the first four production versions of the short-takeoff and vertical-landing variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter being built by Lockheed Martin [LMT], the Defense Ministry said.
The contract was part of a deal announced by the Pentagon Friday for 43 of the stealthy fighter jets for the U.S. military and international customers.
The United Kingdom has taken delivery of three F-35Bs for test and evaluation at Eglin AFB, Fla., with a fourth on the way.
The Royal Navy plans to operate the production F-35Bs off of land bases and aircraft carriers.
“Signing the contract paves the way for the first batch of operational combat aircraft,” said Bernard Gray, the Defence Ministry’s materiel chief. “By reaching this milestone, the MoD remains on target for achieving both operational capability from land bases and the start of flying trials aboard the carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2018 for this highly advanced multi-role stealth combat aircraft.”
The United Kingdom currently plans to buy 14 F-35Bs, the same variant under procurement for the U.S. Marine Corps that is capable of operating off aircraft carriers smaller than the large deck carriers the U.S. Navy sails.
The ministry did not state the value of the contract, but the overall one announced by the Pentagon for 43 planes was $4.7 billion.