The official launch of the Greek F-35 fighter production program will be given in the coming weeks. This was announced to the Kathimerini newspaper by Mara Matvey, Lockheed Martin's vice president of strategy and business development. She visited Athens on the occasion of the international defense and security exhibition DEFEA 2025 and revealed key details about the project, News.bg reports.
Earlier in May, the US Department of Defense approved a contract worth 17.2 million dollars with Lockheed Martin to provide engineering and technical support related to Greece's inclusion in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program - an important step towards strengthening NATO's southeastern flank.
In parallel, the first group of officers from the Hellenic Air Force is preparing to depart for Virginia, where they will join the Joint Program Office (JPO) - the structure that coordinates the participation of international partners in the F-35 program.
„Production of the Greek fighter jets begins in Lot 20, for which long-term procurement has already started. Full-scale production is planned for 2027, with first deliveries expected in late 2028. The first arrival of the aircraft in Greece is scheduled for 2030. "All fighters for the Hellenic Air Force will be delivered in the latest available configuration," Matvei stressed.
She categorically rejected widespread claims about the presence of a so-called "kill switch" in the F-35 aircraft, which could limit their functionality remotely.