Britain signs contract for four more F-35 stealth fighter jets

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has signed a contract to purchase four more of Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Monday.

Last month, the MoD said it had reached an agreement in principle to order the stealth fighters, part of a plan to purchase 14 over the next five years. The aircraft are due to be delivered from mid-2016.

The jets will form part of Britain's first operational squadron of F35s. It has already taken delivery of three training jets, which are based in Florida, and last year ordered a fourth, also for test use.

The contract is part of a wider agreement between the U.S. Defense Department and Lockheed for the production of a total of 43 F-35s for six different countries.

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Andrew Osborn)