Pentagon and Lockheed Martin finalize framework for 10-year deal for 850 F-35 aircraft

The Department of War and Lockheed Martin announced on Thursday that the two sides have agreed to a framework deal for the production of 850 F-35 fighter aircraft over the next 10 years.The deal is designed to strengthen the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter fleet by creating a “stable, long-term procurement signal to modernize and expand America’s 5th generation tactical aircraft,” though it still needs congressional authorization and appropriations.“We have fundamentally changed how we stabilize the American defense industrial base to produce at speed and scale,” said Undersecretary of War Michael P. Duffey. “This agreement with Lockheed Martin proves it. By aligning financial incentives with actual performance, we are ensuring our warfighters are equipped with the lethal capabilities they need to fight and win.” The deal also calls for Lockheed Martin to invest at least $7 billion of its own capital in initiatives that support the F-35 program in exchange for the length of the deal, which demonstrates the department’s long-term commitment to the aircraft.“This multiyear framework strengthens the way we can plan and invest in the F-35 enterprise,” said Jim Taiclet, Lockheed Martin’s chairman, president, and CEO. “With the greater certainty that comes from the U.S. government’s transformative approach to F-35 production and sustainment, we can make the upfront investments needed to expand capacity, improve efficiency, and build a more resilient supply chain. That’s good for the taxpayer, good for our suppliers and, most importantly, good for the United States and its allies.”There are currently more than 1,375 F-35s fielded around the globe by about 20 countries.The Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office confirmed last month that it is investigating how an F-35 canopy, which is sensitive technology, was diverted during shipment to Hong Kong, where it’s believed to have fallen into the possession of the Chinese.COTTON PUSHES PENTAGON TO INVESTIGATE MISSING F-35 COMPONENTS THAT ENDED UP IN CHINAThe F-35A’s canopy has an acrylic bubble with a thin layer of transparent, radar-absorbent material coating the outside, which helps keep the aircraft obscured from enemy radar. Over time, that layer can degrade, peel, and separate, requiring replacement to ensure fully mission-capable stealth.A Lockheed Martin spokesperson told the Washington Examiner at the time that they “can’t discuss the status of specific shipments or our shipping procedures,” however, “What I can tell you is that Lockheed Martin follows all U.S. regulations established by the Department of War and regulated by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) regarding the shipment of aircraft components.”