Is Chile the Mystery Buyer of 11 F-35 Stealth Jets?

Defense · Chile

Key Facts

—The order. On June 9 the US Navy gave Lockheed Martin 154 million dollars to start building eleven F-35s for an unnamed foreign buyer.

—The suspect. Chilean media put Chile near the top of the list, because the air force has eleven ageing F-5 jets to replace.

—The denial gap. Chile’s Defence Ministry will neither confirm nor deny, and says no money has been approved for such a buy.

—The rival theory. Belgium also wants eleven more F-35s and may be the real buyer, so the number alone proves nothing.

—The cost. A full package of eleven jets, training and support could run between two and three billion dollars.

—The signal. A Chilean tanker refuelled US F-35s in April, a Latin American first that points to a deepening tie.

The Chile F-35 question is the most intriguing guessing game in the defense world right now, and it matters because it would make Chile the first nation in South America to fly a fifth-generation stealth fighter.

Somebody just ordered eleven F-35 stealth fighters, and the Pentagon will not say who. The mystery has put Chile near the top of the suspect list.

For a foreign reader the stakes are simple. No country in South America has ever operated a fifth-generation fighter, so if Chile is the buyer, the regional balance of airpower shifts.

What is actually confirmed

On June 9, the US Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth about 154 million dollars. The money buys the long-lead parts needed to start building eleven F-35s for a foreign customer.

Those early parts matter more than they sound. Some F-35 components take years to make, so a buyer commits cash for them well before the main contract, which means a deal is essentially locked even when it is not yet public.

What the Pentagon did not do was name the buyer, or even say which version of the jet it is. In a programme with more than a thousand aircraft flying across two dozen nations, an anonymous order is unusual enough to start a guessing game.

Why everyone is looking at Chile

Chilean outlets led the speculation for one neat reason. The Chilean Air Force has exactly eleven ageing F-5 Tiger jets, based in the far south, that it needs to retire by the end of the decade.

The number eleven matching the order is the kind of coincidence that fuels a story. So is the timing, with Chile and Washington visibly drawing closer on defense.

In April, during the FIDAE air show in Santiago, a Chilean tanker refuelled two American F-35s in mid-air. According to BioBioChile, it was the first time a South American air force had ever done so.

President José Antonio Kast and his defence minister visited the jets at the show. Weeks later, Chilean air force logistics officers met Lockheed Martin, adding to the sense of momentum.

Why it might not be Chile at all

Here is the catch. Chile’s Defence Ministry will neither confirm nor deny the talk, and it points out that purchases are kept secret by law.

More telling, the ministry says no money has been approved for any such purchase. There is also no formal notification to the US Congress, a step that any real foreign F-35 sale must clear.

And there is a rival suspect. Belgium announced in 2025 that it wants eleven more F-35s, and its defence minister said the contract would be signed in 2026, which fits the mystery order just as well.

In short, the number that makes Chile look guilty points just as neatly at Brussels. The coincidence cuts both ways.

Why the Chile F-35 story matters for investors

The price tag is the first reason to watch. Analysts reckon a full package of eleven jets, with training, weapons and support, could run between two and three billion dollars.

For Lockheed Martin and the wider American defense supply chain, a new South American customer would be a fresh market and a foothold for decades of follow-on sales.

For the region, it would mark a strategic tilt. Chile already flies American F-16s, and a move to the F-35 would bind it more tightly to Washington at a time when China is courting Latin American militaries.

The forward signal is what to watch next. A notification to the US Congress, or a funding line in Chile’s budget, would turn this rumour into a confirmed deal almost overnight.

Until then it stays a guessing game with real money behind it. The smart move is to treat Chile as the leading suspect, not the proven buyer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chile definitely buying the F-35?

No. A US Navy contract on June 9 covers eleven F-35s for an unnamed foreign buyer, and Chilean media name Chile as a leading candidate. But Chile’s Defence Ministry has not confirmed it and says no funds have been approved.

Why do people think the buyer is Chile?

The Chilean Air Force has eleven ageing F-5 jets to replace, matching the eleven aircraft in the order. Chile has also grown closer to Washington, refuelling US F-35s in flight in April for the first time by any South American force.

Could the buyer be another country?

Yes. Belgium announced in 2025 that it wants eleven more F-35s and expects to sign in 2026, so the order could be Belgian. Other names floated include Greece, Romania, Singapore and the Czech Republic.

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