- The UK has received 44 F-35B aircraft, with 43 being serviceable following the loss of BK18 in 2021
- The next UK tranche will comprise 12 F35A and 15 F35B, the first acquisition of the conventional take-off A variant for the UK Armed Forces
- The A model is less expensive than the more complex B variant, which is also able to operate in a naval capacity
With the UK having already received 44 F-35B fifth generation stealth fighters and the coming integration of the F-35A conventional take-off variant in the years ahead, the UK will start 2026 looking to chart a new course in its fielding of fifth-generation fighters.
It is thought that the F-35A could cost up to 25% less to acquire than the F-35B, a notable consideration for a UK government struggling to find spare change down the sofa, despite claims to be increasing defence spending.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
However, given the next UK tranche will comprise 12 F-35A and 15 carrier-capable F-35Bs, there could be a corresponding reduction in comparative workshare for the country’s aerospace sector related to the previous plan for a wholly F-35B acquisition.
The UK provides key technologies through Rolls Royce for the F-35B’s lift fan, a unique propulsion system that enables the aircraft to perform vertical landings, similar to how the legacy Harrier fighter was able to operate.
Alternative investment into the Eurofighter Typhoon, of which UK industry manufactures are far larger per-aircraft proportion, was pushed by influential unions, such as Unite, in 2025.
The timeline for the first F-35A delivery to the UK has not been disclosed, with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) consistently declining to provide details.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataIn a UK parliamentary written response on 5 January, Labour peer Lord Coaker said only that the MoD expects “to take delivery of its 75th F-35 aircraft by the end of 2033”.
Subsequently, on 6 January, Coaker said that the (long delayed) Defence Investment Plan “will inform any updates to F-35 procurement timelines”.
This provides a seven-year acquisition window for the delivery of 27 F-35s, which will require an average rate of near four aircraft per-year.
It is thought most likely that the UK will begin to receive its first F-35A around 2030 as it competes for previously committed manufacturing slots, possibly paying a premium to access slots already committed to US and other international customers.
Is the MoD shifting tone on defence data?
In recent months, a tonal shift can be detected from the MoD in responding to UK parliamentary answers, as officials appear increasingly keen to avoid providing public information that could be of use to rivals such as Russia.
On numerous instances in the first week of 2026, MoD officials have cited “operational security considerations” in declining to provide data to members of parliament.
“It is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so it would be inappropriate to comment further,” said Al Carns, Minister of State for the Armed Forces, in a series of notable responses on 5 January on drone acquisitions.
Key will be the eventual publication of the Defence Investment Plan, previously the Defence Equipment Plan, and the level of detail the UK government feels able to share.
This might not merely mean opting to not disclose platform numbers, for fear of revealing military capabilities, but also potentially inflating figures to distort public information.
Previously in 2025, the UK Labour government publicly claimed a main battle tank fleet of 288 vehicles, a remarkable increase of 35% from the figures provided by the previous Conservative government, which had said in 2024 that 213 Challenger 2 MBTs were in service.
In 2023, Army Technology reported that the British Army had just 157 Challenger 2 MBTs able to undertake operations immediately or after a 30-day work-up period.
Given the last Challenger 2 rolled off the production line in 2002, questions arise as to how ‘new’ tanks could suddenly be added in inventories, even while platforms are cannibalised to maintain a shrinking cadre of available machines.
