Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $1.05-billion contract to advance the production of its F-35 fighter jets for the US armed forces.
According to the US Department of Defense, the deal includes purchasing long-lead materials, spare parts, and necessary components to ensure the on-time delivery of the aircraft.
Procuring long-lead items is a critical step in advancing F-35 production since such materials often have a lengthier delivery period, affecting the duration of production.
Work for the contract will be performed in the UK, Italy, Japan, California, Texas, and other parts of the US.
It is expected to be completed by January 2024.
The F-35
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 is a stealthy, supersonic, multi-role fighter initially designed for the US Air Force.
It has three variants: conventional-takeoff-and-landing, an aircraft-carrier version, and a short-takeoff/vertical landing variant.
The jet was developed to replace the air force’s aging F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II, in service for more than two decades.
According to the service, the F-35 is equipped with an advanced sensor package “to gather, fuse, and distribute more information than any fighter in history.”
Its processing power, open architecture, and flexible communication links reportedly give pilots a decisive advantage over adversaries.
The fighter has a maximum speed of Mach 1.6 (1,930 kilometers/1,200 miles per hour) and an operational range of up to 1,200 nautical miles (2,222 kilometers).
