Lockheed Martin Fort Worth

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics · Air Force Plant 4, Fort Worth · Tarrant County

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics runs the main F-35 Lightning II final assembly line at Air Force Plant 4, a government-owned plant that has built military aircraft since 1942. Fort Worth delivered a record 191 F-35s in 2025, and an October 22, 2026 framework with the Department of War plans 850 more US jets over 10 years at 156 aircraft a year.

1942Plant opens to build B-24 Liberator bombers Sep 2022F-35 deliveries paused over Chinese magnetalloy Sep 2025Lots 18-19 signed: up to 296 jets for $24B 2025Record 191 F-35 deliveries, up from 142 Jun 14, 2026IAM District 776 ratifies five-year contract Sep 18, 2026Germany's first F-35A rolled out in FortWorth Oct 22, 202610-year framework: 850 US jets, Lots 21-30
Program
F-35 Lightning II
2025 deliveries
191 jets
Workforce
About 18,000
Building since
1942
County
Tarrant
Sector
Aerospace and defense

Overview

Fort Worth Builds the F-35 on a Government-Owned Line

Air Force Plant 4 is a government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) plant: the US Air Force owns the buildings and tooling, and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics runs production. The plant sits beside Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, the former Carswell Air Force Base, and shares its runway for flight test. About 18,000 Lockheed Martin employees work at the Fort Worth plant, according to a US Department of Energy report.

The line builds all three variants: the F-35A conventional takeoff jet for the US Air Force and most partners, the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing jet for the US Marine Corps and the UK, and the F-35C carrier jet for the US Navy. The F-35 has been selected by 20 nations, 13 of them in Europe, and the global fleet passed 1,355 aircraft and 1 million flight hours in 2026. Smaller final assembly lines run at Cameri in Italy and Nagoya in Japan.

Fort Worth is the largest single plant in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) defense base, which also includes Bell in Fort Worth and Raytheon in McKinney. See DFW aerospace companies and the Golden Dome Texas corridor.

Profile
OperatorLockheed Martin Aeronautics
OwnerUS Air Force (GOCO)
SiteAir Force Plant 4, Fort Worth
CountyTarrant
ProgramF-35A, F-35B, F-35C
2025 deliveries191 (record; prior record 142)
WorkforceAbout 18,000
UnionIAM District 776 (about 5,000 members)
NeighborNAS JRB Fort Worth

Production

Deliveries Slowed in 2026 While a 10-Year Framework Took Shape

In September 2025 the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin finalized Lots 18-19, up to 296 jets for $24B, the largest production contract in program history. Fort Worth then closed 2025 with 191 deliveries, beating the 2021 record of 142.

The 2026 pace is lower. Lockheed Martin delivered 43 F-35s in the third quarter and 94 in the first nine months of 2026, against 143 in the same period of 2025. Its October 22, 2026 results said Lot 20 costs had begun to exceed authorized funding while Lot 20 and later contracts remain under negotiation. Aeronautics backlog stood at $57.3B on September 27, 2026.

US buying is set to rise. The Pentagon bought 47 F-35s in fiscal 2026 and requested 85 for fiscal 2027: 38 F-35A, 37 F-35C and 10 F-35B, with 53 of them depending on a reconciliation bill. On October 22, 2026 the Department of War and Lockheed Martin announced a 10-year framework for 850 US jets plus international Lots 21-30 at 156 aircraft a year, contingent on Congress granting multiyear authority and appropriations.

F-35 contract and budget actions
DateActionScope
Sep 2025Lots 18-19 finalizedUp to 296 jets, $24B
Apr 2026FY2027 budget request85 US jets (53 via reconciliation)
Oct 2026Q3 resultsLot 20 costs exceed authorized funding
Oct 22, 202610-year framework850 US jets, Lots 21-30, 156 a year

Supply chain

Rare Earth Magnets Tie the Line to China and to Fort Worth

Fort Worth builds the forward fuselage and wings and joins the jet. Northrop Grumman supplies the center fuselage from Palmdale, California, BAE Systems builds the aft fuselage and tails at Samlesbury, England, and Pratt & Whitney supplies the F135 engine. The IAM counts about 1,800 F-35 suppliers in 48 states and Puerto Rico.

China is the weak point. In September 2022 the Pentagon paused F-35 deliveries after finding that a magnet in Honeywell turbomachine pumps used a cobalt-samarium alloy made in China, and resumed them in October 2022 under a waiver. In April 2025 China placed export controls on seven medium and heavy rare earths, including samarium, dysprosium and terbium, which defense motors and actuators use.

MP Materials makes neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets at its Independence plant in Fort Worth and in February 2026 picked a 120-acre site in Northlake, Denton County, for its 10X campus: more than $1.25B, a 10-year Pentagon offtake, and commissioning from 2028. Round Top in Hudspeth County is a Texas heavy rare earth prospect.

History and workforce

Eight Decades of Bombers and Fighters

Consolidated opened the plant in 1942 to build B-24 Liberators, earning the nickname "the bomber plant." It went on to build the B-32, 385 B-36 Peacemakers, the B-58 Hustler, 562 F-111s and 3,620 F-16s through 2017, plus F-22 Raptor components from 1992.

International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 776 represents about 5,000 workers at Fort Worth, Patuxent River in Maryland and Edwards Air Force Base in California. Members ratified a five-year contract on June 14, 2026, avoiding a strike, with raises of up to 40% through 2030, a $6,000 ratification bonus and no mandatory overtime.

  • Germany's first F-35A rolled out in Fort Worth on September 18, 2026; its first eight jets train at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas.
  • The US Navy awarded Lockheed Martin Aeronautics $879.1M in May 2026 and $2.3B on June 12, 2026 in F-35 contracts.

Record

Dataset Record

Sources
Lockheed Martin news releases and Q3 2026 results, F-35 Joint Program Office, Breaking Defense, Defense News, Manufacturing Dive, WFAA, Fort Worth Report, The Aviationist, MP Materials, Wikipedia (Air Force Plant 4)
Last verified
October 2026