The United States military has reportedly awarded Fort Worth-based Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. a contract modification potentially worth $11.76 billion to assemble 145 F-35 fighter jets.
This contract modification awarded by the U.S. Navy has an expected completion date of June 2027 and is reportedly connected to a 2022 contract worth $13.2 billion that is roughly 51% complete, according to Fort Worth Report.
The U.S. Department of Defense wrote in a statement that the contract is an “undefinitized, fixed-price incentive (firm-target), firm-fixed-price modification,” which means the overall price and quantity could change as negotiations conclude.
Aircraft included in this contract are three different versions of the F-35, with each aircraft style serving a different purpose for the military.
The F-35A is designed to be the lightest and most affordable version of these aircraft while the F-35B is slightly bigger and has short takeoff and vertical abilities, per Fort Worth Report.
Finally, the F-35C is used on Navy aircraft carriers and includes heavier landing gear with folding wings to allow for better storage.
Details of the contract modification state that 48 F-35As will be delivered to the U.S. Air Force, 16 F-35Bs and five F-35C jets will be delivered to the Marine Corps, and 14 F-35C fighter jets will be sent to the Navy, according to the U.S. DOD.
Additionally, the contract stipulates that 15 F-35A jets and one F-35B will be delivered to program partners of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), while foreign military sales customers will receive 39 F-35A jets and seven F-35B planes.
Roughly 57% of the contract is expected to be completed in Fort Worth, while the remainder will be completed in California, Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire, the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan, according to the U.S. DOD.
Various other locations outside the continental U.S. will help with production, but those locations are unspecified and are expected to make up just 2% of the overall production.