Lockheed Martin awarded $7.8bln F-35 order for US, allies

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
29 Apr 2023 13:17

Pentagon requests 77 aircraft from Lockheed Martin for four branches of the US Army, the US Air Force, the Navy, and the Marine Corps, as well as allied countries.

An F-35A during a combat exercise at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, May 1, 2019 (US Air Force)

The US Department of Defense on Friday confirmed that it has awarded a $7.8 billion contract modification for 126 F-35 multi-role aircraft to weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp.

The upgrade exercises opportunities for the manufacture and delivery of 126 Lot 17 F-35 aircraft for the US Air Force and its allies, including 81 F-35A aircraft.

The statement indicated that 77 aircraft had been requested for four branches of the US Army, the US Air Force, the Navy, and the Marine Corps, as well as allied countries, namely Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Japan, Belgium, Denmark, and Britain.

The order for Pentagon's most expensive weapons system, expected to be completed in August 2026, also includes 15 F-35B aircraft for the US Marine Corps and 13 F-35C for the US Navy.

Last year, the US Department of Defense agreed with Lockheed Martin to build about 375 F-35 fighter jets over three years in a deal worth $30 billion.

In a separate statement, the Pentagon also announced that Lockheed Martin had received an additional $615.9 million for the production of HIMARS missiles, adding that the contract is expected to be implemented by June 2026.

Lockheed produces multiple weapons that have been in high demand since the start of the war in Ukraine.

In January, Lockheed's CEO told investors that the company's backlog of arms contracts had grown to $150 billion from $135 billion in 2021, a jump that was driven by all-time record orders.