Lockheed Martin

Platforms of the largest US defense contractor, from the F-35 programme to the C-130 airlift family and Sikorsky's Black Hawk.
By Clement Charpentreau
✓ Verified against manufacturer & regulator data
Air superiority stealth fighter (5th generation)

F-22Family
The US Air Force's air superiority benchmark: 195 built, never exported, and still the fighter others are measured against.
Multirole fighter (4th generation)

F-16Family
The most numerous fighter in the West: more than 4,600 built since 1974, flown by 29 nations, and still in production in its Block 70/72 form.
Multirole stealth fighter (5th generation)

F-35Family
A single-engine, fifth-generation multirole fighter developed under the US Joint Strike Fighter programme, produced in three variants and operated or ordered by 20 nations.
Tactical airlifter

C-130 HerculesFamily
The airlifter that will not retire: in continuous production since 1954, with more than 2,700 built and the C-130J flying for over 20 operators.
Utility helicopter

UH-60 Black HawkFamily
The West's workhorse helicopter: more than 5,000 built since 1974, flying with over 35 nations and still winning new orders.

Lockheed Martin was formed in March 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta, and is the largest defense contractor in the United States, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Its Aeronautics division builds the F-35 in Fort Worth, Texas, under the Joint Strike Fighter program awarded in October 2001, and the F-16 in Greenville, South Carolina, where the line moved in 2019 to free Fort Worth for F-35 production.

The 2015 acquisition of Sikorsky for $9 billion turned an airframe portfolio into a full-spectrum one: the UH-60 Black Hawk joined the C-130 Hercules, in continuous production in Marietta, Georgia, since 1954, and the F-22, whose line closed in 2011 at 195 aircraft. As of mid-2026 the company delivers more combat aircraft per year than any other Western manufacturer.

Lockheed Martin at a glance
Formed
March 1995 (Lockheed + Martin Marietta)
Heritage
Lockheed 1912 and Glenn L. Martin 1912
Headquarters
Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Aircraft divisions
Aeronautics and Sikorsky, acquired 2015
Flagship programme
F-35 Lightning II (JSF)
Key plants
Fort Worth, Marietta, Greenville, Stratford, Palmdale

Frequently asked questions

What is Lockheed Martin's largest aircraft programme?

The F-35 Lightning II, developed under the Joint Strike Fighter programme. More than 1,330 have been delivered, with a record 191 handed over in 2025 alone.

Does Lockheed Martin build helicopters?

Yes. Sikorsky, acquired from United Technologies in 2015, builds the UH-60 Black Hawk family, of which more than 5,000 have been produced.

Is the F-16 still in production?

Yes. New-build F-16 Block 70/72 jets are produced in Greenville, South Carolina, with a backlog of about 120 aircraft for customers including Taiwan, Turkey and Peru.