DOD, Lockheed Agree On Contracts For Next Two F-35 Production Lots

摘要

The Defense Department and F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin have "reached an agreement in principle" on contracts for the sixth and seventh production lots of the Joint Strike Fighter in a deal that includes buying five aircraft that were slated to be cut due to fiscal year 2013 budget reductions mandated by sequestration, the parties announced in a joint statement on July 30. The pending deal, which still needs to be finalized, calls for the Pentagon to buy a total of 60 jets with funds appropriated in fiscal years 2012 and 2013. Low-rate initial production lot 6 includes 31 F-35 aircraft, and 29 will be bought in LRIP 7, according to a Pentagon spokesman. Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, the F-35's program executive officer, told lawmakers earlier this year he expected the deal to get done sometime this summer.