X

US awards Lockheed Martin $7 billion contract for 114 F-35 stealth fighters

Contract includes aircraft for Australia, Italy, Norway and US Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy

An F-35A Joint Strike Fighter during a demonstration of the aircraft at Bagotville International Air Show in Quebec, Canada, June 22, 2019. Image: US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Jensen Stidham

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $7 billion contract to procure 114 F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft for domestic and foreign military sales, the U.S. Department of Defense said.

The $7,027,643,109 contract modification announced on Monday, October 28 finalizes a deal that was agreed in June.

The modification provides for 48 F-35A aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, 20 F-35Bs for the Marine Corps, and nine F-35C planes for the Navy. It also includes 12 F-35A aircraft for Norway, 15 for Australia, and eight for Italy, which which also purchase two F-35Bs.

The U.S. Air Force uses the conventional F-35A, the Marine Corps the short takeoff and vertical landing capable F-35B and the Navy uses the carrier-based version, the F-35C.

According to Lockheed, the Lot 11 unit cost of an F-35A was around $89.2 million, $115.5 million for the F-35B and $107.7 million for the F-35C.

Related Posts