How much does a F-35 engine cost?
The cost of the engine is $20. Lockheed Martin delivered a record 191 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets in 2025, bringing the global fleet to approximately 1,300 aircraft. For example, the current cost of manufacturing a new RS-25 main engine—which will be used for the Artemis V mission and onward—is about $ 100 million. NASA and Aerojet are trying to achieve a 30 percent cost savings by the end of this decade, bringing the cost down to $ 70.