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U.S. State Department OKs possible $23 billion sale of F-35s to Japan

10 July 2020 05:16 (UTC +04:00)

The U.S. State Department said on Thursday it had approved the possible sale of 105 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets to Japan at an estimated cost of $23 billion, APA reports quoting Reuters.

“It is vital to U.S. national interest to assist Japan in developing and maintaining a strong and effective self-defense capability,” the State Department said, adding that the proposed sale would not change the military balance in the region.

F-35 jets are made at a Lockheed Martin factory in Fort Worth, Texas, but allies assemble jets for themselves at two final assembly and check out facilities in Japan and Italy.

In March, the Pentagon said Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was closing the Japanese plant for one week due to concerns about the coronavirus.