Airmen assigned to the thirty fourth Fighter Squadron and Fighter Technology Squadron carry out pre-flight checks on F-35A Lightning IIs throughout an agile fight employment train at Mountain House Air Power Base, Idaho, March 28, 2024. (U.S. Air Power photograph by Airman Keagan Lee)
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has awarded Lockheed Martin a roughly $11.8 billion contract to proceed manufacturing of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, as the 2 events inch towards finalizing an settlement for the stealth fighter.
In a contract announcement posted tonight, the Pentagon stated the award covers 145 copies of the tri-variant fighter between the US Air Power, Marine Corps and Navy in addition to overseas prospects. The contract is undefinitized, which means greenback values and portions might change as negotiations proceed, and solely covers manufacturing lot 18 of the stealth fighter.
Lockheed referred inquiries to the Pentagon. Russ Goemaere, a spokesperson for the F-35 Joint Program Workplace, informed Breaking Protection that the Pentagon goals to finalize the lot 18 contract within the spring.
Moreover, Goemaere stated officers anticipate to equally problem an undefinitized contract for lot 19 manufacturing when the fiscal 2025 finances is accredited — which can not happen till March on the earliest, following a last-minute, stopgap measure lawmakers handed in the present day.
After initially aiming to attain an settlement final 12 months for manufacturing tons 18 and 19, the Pentagon and Lockheed have remained at an deadlock amid inflation and different challenges. The events reached a “handshake” deal for the 2 tons in November — although the announcement didn’t share portions or costs — and a Lockheed official later stated this system might first transfer ahead with an undefinitized contract as talks continued.
Getting a contract award was essential, Lockheed officers have beforehand stated, to supply a money injection for this system that the corporate resorted to partially funding out of pocket to make sure manufacturing might proceed easily.
The F-35 has additionally been a goal of high Trump ally Elon Musk in current weeks, who is ready to co-lead a “Division of Authorities Effectivity” (DOGE) fee that might suggest cuts to authorities spending. Musk has known as officers “idiots” for persevering with to construct the jet, whereas DOGE co-lead Vivek Ramaswamy just lately advocated for shifting funds away from manned fighters and into different platforms like drones — elevating questions of the Joint Strike Fighter’s destiny below the brand new administration.
But the jet nonetheless has defenders. Outgoing Air Power Secretary Frank Kendall, who has lengthy been essential of the F-35 program’s many issues, hit again at Musk’s feedback Thursday, arguing that the US ought to proceed to purchase and improve the stealth fighter.
