The American giant announces a $100 billion investment, targeting 750 HIMARS systems and 200 new F-35s. A strategic gamble to dominate the defense market.
Summary
On November 12, 2025, Lockheed Martin announced a massive defense effort, estimated at around $100 billion, including the delivery of 750 HIMARS systems and 200 F-35 aircraft in the near future. The manufacturer aims to consolidate its position as an industry leader and respond to strong demand from allies and the Pentagon for long-range strike capabilities and advanced air support. HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) systems are already deployed with 14 allies, and production recently reached the 750th unit. This illustrates a strategic need to modernize combined artillery and aviation forces. This plan marks a turning point for Lockheed Martin: it is based on increased demand in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and on the fact that mass production of the F-35 (more than 175-200 units in 2025) will lower unit costs and expand the export base. The manufacturer is banking on a global modernization market to secure long-term growth.
The origin and scope of the plan
Lockheed Martin has stated that it intends to respond to a phase of global acceleration in military spending, driven by increased geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe and the Indo-Pacific. The plan encompasses a combination of the F-35 and HIMARS programs, two pillars of the modern arsenal. The F-35 segment aims to deliver approximately 200 aircraft by the end of 2025, which would represent an unprecedented level of production for the program. (“one aircraft per working day” target): this is due to increased export orders and recovery from delays. The HIMARS segment will see the delivery of 750 launchers, a figure recently confirmed, resulting from a significant ramp-up. One article mentions that the company has already delivered the 750th unit.
The “$100 billion” figure combines multi-year projections, current orders, medium-term prospects, and industrial investments (factories, supply chain, R&D). Although not all details are public, this plan reflects an aggressive industrial strategy: securing the order book, strengthening the production ecosystem, and anticipating the needs of allies and partners.
The HIMARS system: role, expansion, and growth driver
HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher developed by Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control. The vehicle is capable of launching long-range guided munitions, such as GMLRS or the future PrSM, and can be transported by C-17 or C-5. It has already been used in combat in Ukraine and other theaters. The launcher weighs approximately 16,250 kg, is 7 m long, 2.4 m wide, and 3.2 m high. This system provides a mobile strike capability that is quick to reposition and integrated into a modern command network.
The benefits for Lockheed Martin are manifold: the ramp-up in production (from 48 to 96 launchers/year) is driven by strong demand, particularly from the US Army and its allies. The article states that the Camden (Arkansas) plant has doubled its production rate and that a major effort has been made to meet European and Indo-Pacific demand. The launch of the 750th unit confirms the maturity of the program. HIMARS is therefore a key growth driver for the manufacturer: it combines export, mass production, modularity (ability to integrate new missiles), and strategic relevance (artillery modernization).
In addition, the integration of HIMARS into the multi-domain architectures of the US Army and its allies reinforces its added value: long-range fires, precision, mobility, and interoperability (NATO allies). The fact that Lockheed is promoting it as one of the two pillars of its plan (along with the F-35) shows that the manufacturer anticipates strong demand in this segment.
The F-35 program and its strategic challenges
The F-35 Lightning II remains Lockheed Martin’s flagship fifth-generation fighter jet, used by more than 19 countries. According to several sources, the manufacturer is aiming to produce up to 200 aircraft in 2025, which would represent an increase of around 64% compared to 2023. The backlog of orders for the F-35 is estimated at nearly $179 billion.
There are many factors driving this high demand: NATO and its allies are seeking to modernize their fleets in a context of redeployment and rising threats. The F-35 offers stealth, sensor fusion, interoperability, and multi-role capability. For Lockheed Martin, this allows it to exploit economies of scale, improve unit costs, and offer related services (maintenance, training). The “100 billion” plan therefore includes aviation, but also network integration, logistics, and systems modernization.
The plan confirms that Lockheed intends to remain the long-term leader in defense through a combination of precision artillery (HIMARS) and air superiority (F-35). Emphasis is also placed on support services, software and hardware updates, and exports. The challenge is to maintain technological advantage as competitors emerge.
Industrial and defense market impacts
For Lockheed Martin, this plan represents a comprehensive strategy: securing the order book, increasing industrial cadence, improving efficiency, and enhancing shareholder value. The HIMARS and F-35 sectors combined are worth billions of dollars a year. The plan is part of a sustainable growth strategy despite challenges such as the supply chain, costs, and competition.
In the defense market, the announcement sends several signals:
- Confirmation that military modernization remains a priority for Western allies, both in Europe and Asia.
- Increased pressure on competitors (Boeing, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, etc.), particularly in the artillery and aviation segments.
- An acceleration in the export of US systems, strengthening Lockheed’s grip and the dependence of its allies.
- An increase in mass production, which may lead to a gradual decline in unit costs and a lower entry threshold for certain markets.
However, there are risks: management of the global supply chain (critical components), saturation of production capacity, budget constraints in customer countries, and increased international competition.
Why such a high volume – 750 HIMARS and 200 F-35s?
The figure of 750 HIMARS is based on the announcement of the delivery of the 750th unit and the increase in production rate. This suggests that Lockheed aims not only to meet US needs but also to respond to significant export demand. The number 200 F-35s indicates an ambitious production target for 2025, which would mean delivering an aircraft almost every working day.
These volumes enable several objectives to be achieved:
- Economies of scale: the higher the production, the lower the unit cost.
- Global coverage: meeting the needs of allies, partners, and customer states to consolidate supply chains.
- Dominant position: by producing on a massive scale, Lockheed locks down the market, making it more difficult for competitors to establish themselves.
- Continuous innovation: with large volumes, the company can amortize R&D costs, support upgrades, and offer complementary services.
Thus, the $100 billion plan is not a “one-off budget” but a multi-engagement strategy that combines production, exports, services, and modernization.
Long-term challenges for Lockheed Martin
By focusing on these two pillars, Lockheed aims to remain a key player:
- The manufacturer wants to capitalize on the continued demand for air superiority and long-range strike systems.
- It seeks to integrate more after-sales services, logistics, maintenance, and software updates to maximize return on investment.
- It anticipates a future where technological superiority and rapid production will be key, particularly in a context of increased competition.
- It also seeks to influence allied architectures, ensuring that its systems are at the heart of partner states’ capabilities.
This plan could also take advantage of the transition to multi-domain capabilities (air, land, sea, space), AI integration, and weapon digitization.
Lockheed Martin’s approach confirms that defense has once again become a major investment focus for the United States and its allies, and that the industry is following suit with long-term plans. Combining 750 HIMARS systems and 200 F-35s into a single $100 billion target is not insignificant: it reflects a strategic vision where technological leadership, mass production, and exports converge to shape the future landscape of defense. With this offensive, Lockheed is entering a phase of consolidation and global ambition.
Sources
– IBTimes, “Lockheed Martin’s $100 billion defense push: 750 HIMARS and 200 new F-35 jets coming,” November 11, 2025.
– Defence-Industry.eu, “Lockheed Martin aims to deliver 200 F-35 jets in 2025 as global demand reaches record high,” November 2025.
– ExecutiveBiz, “Lockheed Martin Delivers 750th HIMARS Launcher,” November 10, 2025.
– Wikipedia, “M142 HIMARS,” “Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II procurement.”
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