# Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II operators

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of stealth multirole fighters that first entered service with the United States in 2015. The aircraft has been ordered by program partner nations, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, and Australia, and also through the Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales program, including Japan, South Korea, and Israel. The units that operate or plan on operating the aircraft are listed below.

## Operators
### F-35A

Australia
* Royal Australian Air Force – 72 operational.
** RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales
*** No. 2 OCU
*** No. 3 Squadron
*** No. 77 Squadron
** RAAF Base Tindal, Northern Territory
*** No. 75 Squadron
Belgium
* Belgian Air Component – 34 planned.
** Florennes Air Base
*** 2nd Tactical Wing
** Kleine Brogel Air Base
*** 10th Tactical Wing
Canada
* Royal Canadian Air Force – 88 ordered in January 2023. First aircraft to arrive in 2026, first squadron operational in 2029 and full fleet operational by 2032 to 2034.
Czech Republic
* Czech Air Force – The U.S. State Department approved a possible sale to the Czech Republic of F-35 aircraft, munitions and related equipment worth up to $5.62 billion, according to a 29 June 2023 announcement. On 29 January 2024, the Czech government signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States for the purchase of F-35A fighters.
Denmark
* Royal Danish Air Force – 17 delivered out of 27 planned. The first four aircraft are expected to be flown from Luke Air Force Base, starting in 2021 for the training of Danish pilots. The first four aircraft arrived at Skrydstrup Air Base in September 2023 with 13 more having been delivered to Skrydstrup in January 2025. Full operational capability is expected in 2027.
** Skrydstrup Air Base, Vojens
*** Eskadrille 727
Finland
* Finnish Air Force – 64 F-35A ordered.
** Lapland Air Command, Rovaniemi Air Base
*** Fighter Squadron 11
** Karelia Air Command, Rissala Air Base
*** Fighter Squadron 31
Germany
* German Air Force – 35 F-35A ordered.
Greece
* Hellenic Air Force – 20 F-35A ordered with an option to buy 20 more.
Italy
* Italian Air Force – 17 delivered as of April 2023, out of 75 ordered.
** Amendola Air Base, Apulia
*** 32º Stormo
** Ghedi Air Base, Lombardy
*** 6º Stormo
Japan
* Japan Air Self-Defense Force – 40 operational; with a total order of 105 F-35A variants. 41 of these F-35As are being built by Mitsubishi.
** Misawa Air Base, Aomori
*** 301st Hikōtai
*** 302nd Hikōtai
Netherlands
* Royal Netherlands Air Force – 39 currently delivered and operational, from 52 ordered. More are to be ordered as of September, 2024.
** Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands
*** No. 322 Squadron
** Volkel Air Base, Netherlands
*** No. 312 Squadron (Planned for 2024)
*** No. 313 Squadron
Norway
* Royal Norwegian Air Force – 49 operational, with a total of 52 planned
** Ørland Main Air Station, Trøndelag
*** 331 Skvadron
*** 332 Skvadron
*** Testing, trening og taktikk Skvadron
Poland
* Polish Air Force – 32 on order. Delivery is expected to start in 2024.
Romania
* Romanian Air Force – The first order for 32 F-35 fighters worth $6.5 billion was concluded on 21 November 2024. Plans are to buy a further 16 F-35s for a total of 48 which will replace the current Romanian F-16s between 2034 and 2040.
Singapore
* Republic of Singapore Air Force – 8 ordered in 2024, to be delivered from 2030.
South Korea
* Republic of Korea Air Force – 39 operational out of 60 ordered.
** 17th Fighter Wing - Cheongju AFB
*** 151st Fighter Squadron
*** 152nd Fighter Squadron
Switzerland
* Swiss Air Force – 36 F-35A on order to replace F-5E/F Tiger II and F/A-18C/D Hornet. Deliveries will begin in 2027 and conclude in 2030.
United States
* United States Air Force – 1,763 planned.
** Air Combat Command
*** 23rd Wing – Moody AFB, Georgia (Planned for 2029)
*** 53d Wing – Eglin AFB, Florida
**** 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron – Edwards AFB, California (53d Test and Evaluation Group)
**** 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron – Nellis AFB, Nevada (53d Test and Evaluation Group)
*** 57th Wing – Nellis AFB, Nevada
**** 6th Weapons Squadron
**** 65th Aggressor Squadron
*** 325th Fighter Wing – Tyndall AFB, Florida
**** 95th Fighter Squadron
**** Additional unspecified squadron
**** Additional unspecified squadron
*** 388th Fighter Wing – Hill AFB, Utah
**** 4th Fighter Squadron
**** 34th Fighter Squadron
**** 421st Fighter Squadron
*** 495th Fighter Group – Shaw AFB, South Carolina
**** 315th Fighter Squadron (Active Associate) – Burlington ANGB, Vermont
**** 377th Fighter Squadron (Active Associate) - Dannelly Field ANGB, Alabama
**** 378th Fighter Squadron (Active Associate) - Truax Field ANGB, Wisconsin
** Air Education and Training Command
*** 33d Fighter Wing – Eglin AFB, Florida
**** 58th Fighter Squadron
**** 60th Fighter Squadron
*** 56th Fighter Wing – Luke AFB, Arizona
**** 61st Fighter Squadron
**** 62d Fighter Squadron
**** 63d Fighter Squadron
**** 308th Fighter Squadron
**** 310th Fighter Squadron
**** 312th Fighter Squadron
** Air Force Reserve Command
*** 301st Fighter Wing
**** 457th Fighter Squadron
*** 419th Fighter Wing – Hill AFB, Utah
**** 466th Fighter Squadron
** Air Force Materiel Command
*** 412th Test Wing – Edwards AFB, California
**** 461st Flight Test Squadron
** Air National Guard
*** 104th Fighter Wing – Barnes ANGB, Massachusetts (Planned for 2025)
**** 131st Fighter Squadron
*** 115th Fighter Wing – Truax Field ANGB, Wisconsin
**** 176th Fighter Squadron
*** 125th Fighter Wing – Jacksonville ANGB, Florida (Planned for 2025)
**** 159th Fighter Squadron
*** 158th Fighter Wing – Burlington ANGB, Vermont
**** 134th Fighter Squadron
*** 173d Fighter Wing – Kingsley Field ANGB, Oregon (Planned for 2026)
**** 114th Fighter Squadron
*** 187th Fighter Wing – Dannelly Field ANGB, Alabama
**** 100th Fighter Squadron
** Pacific Air Forces
*** 35th Fighter Wing – Misawa Air Base, Japan (Planned)
*** 354th Fighter Wing – Eielson AFB, Alaska
**** 355th Fighter Squadron
**** 356th Fighter Squadron
** United States Air Forces in Europe
*** 48th Fighter Wing – RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
**** 493d Fighter Squadron
**** 495th Fighter Squadron

#### F-35I

Israel
* Israeli Air Force – 42 currently operational, from 75 ordered.
** Nevatim Airbase, Nevatim
*** 140 Squadron
*** 116 Squadron
*** 117 Squadron
** Tel Nof Airbase
*** Flight Test Center - Testbed aircraft

### F-35B

Italy
* Italian Air Force – 3 delivered as of April 2023, out of 20 ordered.
** Amendola Air Base, Apulia
*** 32º Stormo
* Italian Navy – 3 delivered as of April 2023, out of 20 ordered.
** Gruppo Aerei Imbarcati
Japan
* Japan Air Self-Defense Force – 27 on order, out of 42 planned, also planning to deploy to Nyutabaru Air Base.
Singapore
* Republic of Singapore Air Force – up to 12 planned.
United Kingdom 35 received, with 30 in the UK (one F-35B lost) and the rest in the US, where they are used for testing and training. 42 (24 FOC fighters and 18 training aircraft) to be fast-tracked by 2023. 138 originally planned, amended to between 60 and 80 F-35Bs.
* Royal Air Force
** Edwards Air Force Base, California, US
*** No. 17 Squadron (Operational Evaluation Unit) – 3 operated for testing
** RAF Marham, Norfolk, UK – 31 delivered
*** No. 207 Squadron (Operational Conversion Unit)
*** No. 617 Squadron
*** Additional unspecified squadron possible
* Royal Navy
** RAF Marham, Norfolk, UK
*** 809 Naval Air Squadron
*** Additional unspecified squadron possible
United States
* United States Marine Corps – 280 planned.
** Edwards AFB, California
*** VMX-1
** MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
*** VMFA-121
*** VMFA-242
** MCAS Yuma, Arizona
*** VMFA-122
*** VMFA-211
*** VMFA-214
*** VMFA-225
** MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina
*** VMFAT-501
*** VMFA-533
** MCAS Cherry Point
*** VMFA-542
** MCAS Miramar, California
*** VMFAT-502

### F-35C

United States
* United States Marine Corps – 140 planned.
** Eglin AFB, Florida
*** VFA-101 (2013–2019)
** MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina
*** VMFA-251
** MCAS Miramar, California
*** VMFA-311
*** VMFA-314
* United States Navy – 260 planned.
** Edwards AFB, California
*** VX-9
** NAS Patuxent River, Maryland
*** VX-23
** Eglin AFB, Florida
*** VFA-101 (2013–2019)
** NAS Lemoore, California
*** VFA-86
*** VFA-97
*** VFA-115
*** VFA-125
** MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
*** VFA-147

## Potential operators

Morocco
* Royal Moroccan Air Force – It is reported that Morocco is interested in purchasing F-35s to counter Algeria's potential Su-57 acquisition.
India
* Indian Air Force – On 14th February 2025, President Donald Trump offered the F-35 Lightning II fighters jets to India, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US.

## Former potential operators

Republic of China
* Republic of China Air Force – In 2011, it was reported that Taiwan would procure a 5th Generation fighter such as the F-35. A renewed push for purchasing the F-35 happened in early 2017, and again in March 2018. However, by November 2018 it was reported that the Taiwanese military leadership abandoned the F-35 program in favor of the F-16V Viper. Reportedly, the decision was motivated by concerns about industry independence, and Chinese espionage concerns.
Thailand
* Royal Thai Air Force – 8 or 12 planned to replace F-16A/B Block 15 ADF in service. On 12 January 2022, Thailand's cabinet approved a budget for the first four F-35A, estimated at 13.8 billion baht in FY2023. On 22 May 2023 The United States Department of Defense has implied it will turn down Thailand's bid to buy F-35 fighter jets, and instead offer F-16V Viper and F-15EX Eagle II fighters, a Royal Thai Air Force source said.
Turkey
* Turkish Air Force – 4 F-35A delivered and withheld at Luke Air Force Base. 30 F-35s were ordered, of up to 100 total planned. Future purchases have been banned by the U.S. with contracts canceled by early 2020. On 1 February 2024 the U.S. expressed a willingness to readmit Turkey into the F-35 program in the event of a satisfactory resolution of the S-400 issue.
United Arab Emirates
* United Arab Emirates Air Force – Up to 50 had been planned, although the sale was suspended and reviewed by the Biden administration. In December 2021 UAE withdrew from the purchase of F-35s as it did not agree to the additional contract terms added by the US.

## Ship-based platforms

Ship-based platform activation includes:
* USS Essex (LHD-2)
* USS Wasp (LHD-1)
* USS America (LHA-6)
* HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08)
* USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
* Italian aircraft carrier Cavour (550)
* USS Makin Island (LHD-8)
* USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
* USS George Washington (CVN-73)
* HMS Prince of Wales (R09)
* USS Tripoli (LHA-7)
* USS Boxer (LHD-4)
* Italian aircraft carrier Trieste (L9890)
* USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) (planned for 2025)
* USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) (planned for 2026)
* USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) (planned for 2026)
* JS Izumo (DDH-183) (planned for 2027)
* USS Bataan (LHD-5) (planned for 2028)
* USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) (planned for 2028)
* USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) (planned for 2028)
* JS Kaga (DDH-184) (planned for 2028)