Poland may join the US F-35 global supply chain through deeper cooperation with Lockheed Martin
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
As reported by Defence 24 on September 3, 2025, Lockheed Martin outlined at MSPO 2025 in Kielce a wide set of proposals regarding Poland’s role in the F-35 program and broader industrial cooperation. The company confirmed that it is conducting a detailed audit of its production network to determine which components of the fifth-generation fighter could be manufactured in Poland. This review comes in addition to the existing production of smaller F-35 elements in the country, such as ammunition parts for the 20 mm cannon and components for the F135 engine.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Alongside manufacturing, Lockheed Martin proposed a center of excellence in Poland to train F-35 ground personnel, citing a projected European fleet exceeding 500 aircraft by 2035, with about 20 percent located in Central Europe. (Picture source: Lockheed Martin)
The concept also includes creating a regional training center for F-35 ground personnel in Poland, as well as joint work on artificial intelligence and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Company officials stressed that the intention to move part of the F-35 supply chain to Poland is not dependent on Warsaw ordering additional aircraft, although more purchases would likely broaden the scale of work. They indicated that at least one specific aircraft part has already been identified for transfer to Polish industry, with potential agreements expected within six to nine months. Lockheed Martin representatives explained that this initiative builds on three decades of presence in Poland, beginning with offset agreements linked to the F-16, continuing through the acquisition of Sikorsky and with it PZL Mielec, and further expanding under the Wisła program with Patriot air defense production.
The company has worked with multiple Polish defense enterprises, including WZE in Zielonka and WZL-1 in Dęblin, and currently cooperates on 24 projects with six to seven local firms. Polish partners already produce launchers and PAC-3 MSE missile components, and Lockheed Martin has asked them to double output due to increased global demand following Patriot’s operational employment in Ukraine. The company is also involved in Apache-related production with Polish suppliers in the fields of weaponry and optoelectronics. Lockheed Martin officials emphasized that high production quality, favorable geography, and competitive costs are the determining factors in considering Poland as a new subcontractor for F-35 components outside the traditional offset framework.
In parallel with industrial cooperation, Lockheed Martin proposed that Poland host a European center of excellence for training F-35 ground crews. The company underlined that Europe will have more than 500 F-35 aircraft by 2035, with about 20 percent concentrated in Central Europe. Such a facility could meet both Polish requirements and those of regional operators such as the Czech Republic and Romania. The idea reflects the example of the Ebbing Air Base in the United States, where training is planned for Polish pilots alongside those from Finland, Germany, and Singapore. Currently, four Polish F-35s are already located at Ebbing for training. Deliveries of Poland’s 32 ordered F-35As, procured under the Husarz program, are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026. Lockheed Martin has also indicated that it will resume talks with Croatia, which had selected the Rafale over the F-16, and that Hungary remains a potential customer for the aircraft. The training center proposal has not yet been formally submitted to the Polish government, but the company views it as a practical step for operators with limited fleet sizes to reduce duplicated costs.
Poland’s defense industry has been progressively integrated into Lockheed Martin’s global supply chain. PZL Mielec, owned by Lockheed Martin since 2015, produces major F-16 fuselage structures and is considered by the company to contribute in some form to every new-build aircraft of that type. In addition, WZE and WZL-1 provide components used in Lockheed Martin systems, including parts for missile defense, and their production levels are set to expand further. Poland’s involvement in F-35 manufacturing currently remains limited to smaller items, but the MSPO 2025 announcement positions it as a potential subcontractor for additional components, which could reinforce its role within NATO’s industrial network. Lockheed Martin has also expressed readiness to work with Polish companies on the co-production and co-design of missiles and other guided weapons, which would add another dimension to cooperation beyond aircraft. In this sense, the MSPO discussions confirmed that Poland is being considered for multiple roles covering production, sustainment, and emerging technologies.
European involvement in the F-35 program is already broad, with countries on the continent providing about 30 percent of the aircraft’s components by value. The United Kingdom supplies approximately 15 percent, including the aft fuselage and twin tail surfaces built by BAE Systems, the Martin-Baker ejection seat, and the vertical lift fan system for the F-35B provided by Rolls-Royce. Italy’s Leonardo produces wing assemblies and operates the Cameri Final Assembly and Check-Out facility, which builds F-35As and F-35Bs and serves as Europe’s designated airframe maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrade center. The Cameri site employs more than 750 personnel and also produces wing components at its Foggia and Nola plants. These facilities ensure that a substantial portion of every F-35 delivered globally contains European-built structures and subsystems.
In Northern Europe, Denmark’s Terma manufactures more than 30,000 parts for the program, including composite panels, pylons, fuselage skins, and the gun pod for the F-35A. Dutch companies such as GKN Fokker provide movable doors, structural fittings, power systems, and radar components, with Woensdrecht Air Base acting as a European distribution hub for spare parts. Norway’s Kongsberg contributes fuselage sections and is involved in integrating the Joint Strike Missile as a future armament option. Finland’s Patria is constructing a plant to manufacture 400 fuselage sections and landing-gear doors between 2026 and 2040, while also operating a maintenance center for the F135 engine. These roles ensure that production and sustainment tasks are spread across multiple countries, increasing both capacity and resilience.
Germany and Belgium have also taken significant steps to secure industrial roles in the program. Rheinmetall’s new €200 million facility in Weeze, built in cooperation with Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, is producing center fuselage sections with a planned capacity of 30 per year, expandable to 36, and a framework agreement to supply at least 400 units over 17 to 20 years. The first German-built sections are expected to reach the United States for integration in 2026, and deliveries of Germany’s 35 F-35As will start in 2027. Belgium, meanwhile, has decided to assemble its future F-35As in Cameri, Italy, rather than Fort Worth and is increasing its order from 34 to 45 aircraft. Belgian companies contribute titanium flaperon spars through Asco, horizontal-tail and fuselage components through SABCA, and logistics software through ILIAS Solutions. Infrastructure upgrades worth €275 million are underway at Florennes and Kleine-Brogel to host the fleet, while discussions continue over how EU rules may classify Cameri-built jets as European products for financing purposes. These industrial and political choices underline how Europe’s role in the F-35 program is expanding not only in manufacturing but also in sustainment, financing, and training.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst writing for Army Recognition since July 15, 2023, mainly focusing on naval modernization, aviation, drones, tanks, and artillery, with particular attention to countries such as the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. He also enjoys explaining who does what, the broader context of each news, and why it matters.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
As reported by Defence 24 on September 3, 2025, Lockheed Martin outlined at MSPO 2025 in Kielce a wide set of proposals regarding Poland’s role in the F-35 program and broader industrial cooperation. The company confirmed that it is conducting a detailed audit of its production network to determine which components of the fifth-generation fighter could be manufactured in Poland. This review comes in addition to the existing production of smaller F-35 elements in the country, such as ammunition parts for the 20 mm cannon and components for the F135 engine.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Alongside manufacturing, Lockheed Martin proposed a center of excellence in Poland to train F-35 ground personnel, citing a projected European fleet exceeding 500 aircraft by 2035, with about 20 percent located in Central Europe. (Picture source: Lockheed Martin)
The concept also includes creating a regional training center for F-35 ground personnel in Poland, as well as joint work on artificial intelligence and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Company officials stressed that the intention to move part of the F-35 supply chain to Poland is not dependent on Warsaw ordering additional aircraft, although more purchases would likely broaden the scale of work. They indicated that at least one specific aircraft part has already been identified for transfer to Polish industry, with potential agreements expected within six to nine months. Lockheed Martin representatives explained that this initiative builds on three decades of presence in Poland, beginning with offset agreements linked to the F-16, continuing through the acquisition of Sikorsky and with it PZL Mielec, and further expanding under the Wisła program with Patriot air defense production.
The company has worked with multiple Polish defense enterprises, including WZE in Zielonka and WZL-1 in Dęblin, and currently cooperates on 24 projects with six to seven local firms. Polish partners already produce launchers and PAC-3 MSE missile components, and Lockheed Martin has asked them to double output due to increased global demand following Patriot’s operational employment in Ukraine. The company is also involved in Apache-related production with Polish suppliers in the fields of weaponry and optoelectronics. Lockheed Martin officials emphasized that high production quality, favorable geography, and competitive costs are the determining factors in considering Poland as a new subcontractor for F-35 components outside the traditional offset framework.
In parallel with industrial cooperation, Lockheed Martin proposed that Poland host a European center of excellence for training F-35 ground crews. The company underlined that Europe will have more than 500 F-35 aircraft by 2035, with about 20 percent concentrated in Central Europe. Such a facility could meet both Polish requirements and those of regional operators such as the Czech Republic and Romania. The idea reflects the example of the Ebbing Air Base in the United States, where training is planned for Polish pilots alongside those from Finland, Germany, and Singapore. Currently, four Polish F-35s are already located at Ebbing for training. Deliveries of Poland’s 32 ordered F-35As, procured under the Husarz program, are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026. Lockheed Martin has also indicated that it will resume talks with Croatia, which had selected the Rafale over the F-16, and that Hungary remains a potential customer for the aircraft. The training center proposal has not yet been formally submitted to the Polish government, but the company views it as a practical step for operators with limited fleet sizes to reduce duplicated costs.
Poland’s defense industry has been progressively integrated into Lockheed Martin’s global supply chain. PZL Mielec, owned by Lockheed Martin since 2015, produces major F-16 fuselage structures and is considered by the company to contribute in some form to every new-build aircraft of that type. In addition, WZE and WZL-1 provide components used in Lockheed Martin systems, including parts for missile defense, and their production levels are set to expand further. Poland’s involvement in F-35 manufacturing currently remains limited to smaller items, but the MSPO 2025 announcement positions it as a potential subcontractor for additional components, which could reinforce its role within NATO’s industrial network. Lockheed Martin has also expressed readiness to work with Polish companies on the co-production and co-design of missiles and other guided weapons, which would add another dimension to cooperation beyond aircraft. In this sense, the MSPO discussions confirmed that Poland is being considered for multiple roles covering production, sustainment, and emerging technologies.
European involvement in the F-35 program is already broad, with countries on the continent providing about 30 percent of the aircraft’s components by value. The United Kingdom supplies approximately 15 percent, including the aft fuselage and twin tail surfaces built by BAE Systems, the Martin-Baker ejection seat, and the vertical lift fan system for the F-35B provided by Rolls-Royce. Italy’s Leonardo produces wing assemblies and operates the Cameri Final Assembly and Check-Out facility, which builds F-35As and F-35Bs and serves as Europe’s designated airframe maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrade center. The Cameri site employs more than 750 personnel and also produces wing components at its Foggia and Nola plants. These facilities ensure that a substantial portion of every F-35 delivered globally contains European-built structures and subsystems.
In Northern Europe, Denmark’s Terma manufactures more than 30,000 parts for the program, including composite panels, pylons, fuselage skins, and the gun pod for the F-35A. Dutch companies such as GKN Fokker provide movable doors, structural fittings, power systems, and radar components, with Woensdrecht Air Base acting as a European distribution hub for spare parts. Norway’s Kongsberg contributes fuselage sections and is involved in integrating the Joint Strike Missile as a future armament option. Finland’s Patria is constructing a plant to manufacture 400 fuselage sections and landing-gear doors between 2026 and 2040, while also operating a maintenance center for the F135 engine. These roles ensure that production and sustainment tasks are spread across multiple countries, increasing both capacity and resilience.
Germany and Belgium have also taken significant steps to secure industrial roles in the program. Rheinmetall’s new €200 million facility in Weeze, built in cooperation with Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, is producing center fuselage sections with a planned capacity of 30 per year, expandable to 36, and a framework agreement to supply at least 400 units over 17 to 20 years. The first German-built sections are expected to reach the United States for integration in 2026, and deliveries of Germany’s 35 F-35As will start in 2027. Belgium, meanwhile, has decided to assemble its future F-35As in Cameri, Italy, rather than Fort Worth and is increasing its order from 34 to 45 aircraft. Belgian companies contribute titanium flaperon spars through Asco, horizontal-tail and fuselage components through SABCA, and logistics software through ILIAS Solutions. Infrastructure upgrades worth €275 million are underway at Florennes and Kleine-Brogel to host the fleet, while discussions continue over how EU rules may classify Cameri-built jets as European products for financing purposes. These industrial and political choices underline how Europe’s role in the F-35 program is expanding not only in manufacturing but also in sustainment, financing, and training.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst writing for Army Recognition since July 15, 2023, mainly focusing on naval modernization, aviation, drones, tanks, and artillery, with particular attention to countries such as the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. He also enjoys explaining who does what, the broader context of each news, and why it matters.
