Lockheed Martin launches production F-35A jet fighters at reduced costs

Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin has begun producing the fifth generation Joint Strike Fighter for several nations, including Britain, Israel, Italy, Japan and Norway.

The Defense Department has reached agreement with L-M to launch low-rate initial production of the F-35A. Under the deal, L-M would begin assembly of 43 Lightning-2 aircraft.

CF-3 Flt 4 Endurance flight“Today’s agreement is representative of the program’s ongoing maturation,” F-35 Program executive officer, Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan said on Oct. 27. “Once production of LRIP 8 aircraft is completed, more than 200 F-35s will be in operation by eight nations.”

On Oct. 28, the Israeli media said the Jewish state reached an agreement to procure another 20 F-35s. Media reports said the $2.75 billion deal called for delivery to begin in 2019.

Officials said the agreement would produce the first two F-35As for the Israel Air Force, which ordered 19 such platforms. They said JSF deliveries of the low-rate initial production lot 8 would begin in 2016.

At this point, the cost of the fifth-generation aircraft has not been released. L-M said the average unit price of the F-35 air frame would be 3.6 percent lower than in the previous contract.

“Working together with our suppliers, we are making steady progress in reducing F-35 costs,” L-M F-35 program general manager Lorraine Martin said.

Executives said the contract for the latest production lot would be completed over the next few weeks. They said the contract also stipulated manufacturing-support equipment as well as ancillary mission equipment.

In 2014, L-M, under Pentagon pressure, launched a program to reduce the price of JSF to that of the F-16 multi-role fighter, which costs up to $100 million. Executives said L-M was working with such key subcontractors as BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman to reduce JSF production costs, at one point said to have reached $150 million per unit.

“Cost savings from this initiative will begin in LRIP 9,” L-M said.

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