LOCKHEED MARTIN, F-35: DRIVING DOWN COST IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM

The F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin finalized a $34 billion agreement for the production and delivery of 478 F-35s at the lowest aircraft price during the history of the Program.

“Driving down cost is critical to the success of this program. I am excited that the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin have agreed on this landmark three-lot deal. This agreement achieves an average 12.7 percent cost reduction across all three variants and gets us below $80 million for a USAF F-35A – said at Spazio-News Magazine Air Force Lt. Gen. Eric Fick, F-35 Program Executive Officer -. This $34 billion agreement is a truly historic milestone for the F-35 Enterprise.”

The agreement includes 291 aircraft for the U.S. Services, 127 for F-35 International Partners and 60 for F-35 Foreign Military Sales customers.

“With smart acquisition strategies, strong government-industry partnership and a relentless focus on quality and cost reduction, the F-35 Enterprise has successfully reduced procurement costs of the 5th Generation F-35 to equal or less than 4th Generation legacy aircraft – said Greg Ulmer, Lockheed Martin, F-35 Program vice president and general manager -. With the F-35A unit cost now below $80 million in Lot 13, we were able to exceed our long-standing cost reduction commitment one year earlier than planned.”

The sub $80 million unit recurring flyaway cost for an F-35 represents an integrated acquisition price for the V Generation Weapon System. With embedded sensors and targeting pods, this F-35 unit price includes items that add additional procurement and sustainment costs to legacy IV Generation aircraft.

With more than 450 aircraft operating from 19 bases around the globe, the F-35 is playing a critical role in today’s global security environment. More than 910 pilots and 8,350 maintainers have been trained, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed more than 220,000 cumulative flight hours. Eight nations have F-35s operating from a base on their home soil and 7 Services have declared Initial Operating Capability.