Defence

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is nearing its first foreign military sales, in a development that will help to reduce the aircraft's unit cost for the project's nine current partner nations, believes programme executive officer US Air Force Brig Gen Charles Davis.

"Israel is very interested and will probably be the next country to buy the aeroplane," Davis said during a Royal Aeronautical Society lecture in London last week. Japan is also viewed as a strong candidate, with the US Congress debating the transfer of either the F-35 or Lockheed F-22, he said, adding: "Spain is probably not too far off in the future." Other potential foreign military sales buyers include Greece, Hungary and Poland, he said.