In May 2013, Lockheed Martin declared that Turkey is projected to earn $12 billion from licensed production of F-35 components.
Mavi Boncuk |
Participant nations:
Primary customer: United States
Level 1 partner: United Kingdom
Level 2 partners: Italy and the Netherlands
Level 3 partners: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Turkey
Security Cooperative Participants: Israel and Singapore
While the United States is the primary customer and financial backer, the United Kingdom, Italy, The Netherlands, Canada, Turkey, Australia, Norway, and Denmark have agreed to contribute US$4.375 billion towards development costs. Total development costs are estimated at more than US$40 billion. The purchase of an estimated 2,400 aircraft is expected to cost an additional US$200 billion. The initial plan was that the nine major partner nations would acquire over 3,100 F-35s through 2035.
Sales to partner nations are made through the Pentagon's Foreign Military Sales program.
There are three levels of international participation.[290] The levels generally reflect financial stake in the program, the amount of technology transfer and subcontracts open for bid by national companies, and the order in which countries can obtain production aircraft. The United Kingdom is the sole "Level 1" partner, contributing US$2.5 billion, which was about 10% of the planned development costs under the 1995 Memorandum of Understanding that brought the UK into the project. Level 2 partners are Italy, which is contributing US$1 billion; and the Netherlands, US$800 million. Level 3 partners are Turkey, US$195 million; Canada, US$160 million; Australia, US$144 million; Norway, US$122 million and Denmark, US$110 million. Israel and Singapore have joined as Security Cooperative Participants (SCP). Japan announced on 20 December 2011 its intent to purchase 42 F-35s with deliveries beginning in 2016 to replace the F-4 Phantom II; Japan seeks 38 F-35s, to be assembled domestically.