Lockheed Draws $154M More for F-35 Supplies

Lockheed Martin has drawn another $153.9 million from the U.S. Navy for long lead-time materials and components purchases, in preparation for future F-35 production. The award is a further modification to an existing contract concerning Lot 20 of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.

Lockheed is the primary contractor on the vast F-35 program, which counts more than 1,900 suppliers in 48 states and 10 foreign countries.

Lot 20 assembly activities are scheduled to begin this year and continue through 2031.

The original, fixed-price incentive contract was issued late in 2024 and valued at about $870 million.

A later modification totaling $238 million was awarded in March 2025, and another valued at $1.14 billion was assigned in December 2025 to support long lead-time purchase for 65 Lot 20 aircraft and 133 Lot 21 aircraft.

The current award specifies material and component acquisition for 11 aircraft to be supplied to a Pentagon foreign military sales customer.

The total scope of Lot 20 is projected to include 65 F-35 aircraft of all three variants F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C.

The Pentagon noted work covered by the new award will be performed mainly in Texas, but also in California, Florida, New Hampshire, Maryland, and in the U.K. and Italy.

The F-35 is a series of fighter jets deployed for ground attack and combat, and available in three variants, for the USAF, USMC, and USN, and defense forces of more than a dozen other nations. It is by far the largest and most expensive U.S. defense program, with hundreds of program participants and suppliers.