Lockheed Martin On Track To Deliver 100 F-35s To The US Military This Year
Lockheed Martin is successfully on track to deliver at least 100 F-35 jets to the U.S. military by the end of 2024. According to the Pentagon's contract management agency, the deliveries may total as many as 110 aircraft, which will include both new planes and 66 previously withheld jets that require software and hardware upgrades.
This milestone comes despite ongoing criticisms of the F-35 program, notably from billionaire Elon Musk, who has labeled the jets as "obsolete". Lockheed Martin has ramped up its production rate significantly, achieving a delivery pace of 20 jets per month after overcoming a year-long pause in deliveries due to technology development issues.
The company had previously faced delays but has now resumed deliveries of the F-35s, including the latest Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) configuration, which began in July 2024. As of mid-December 2024, Lockheed Martin announced the delivery of its 100th F-35C, further underscoring its commitment to fulfilling its delivery goals.
Lockheed Martin is set to deliver a total of 110 F-35 fighter jets, which includes 66 previously withheld aircraft that required upgrades to their software and hardware. This decision follows a compromise reached with the Pentagon, which had previously halted deliveries due to concerns about these upgrades.
The Pentagon's refusal to accept these jets resulted in approximately 100 F-35s being parked at Lockheed facilities until an agreement was made. The jets will be delivered with the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) upgrade, which is sufficient for flying and training, but full upgrades will occur later.
In 2023, Lockheed delivered 98 F-35s, bringing the total fleet to over 990 aircraft. With the new deliveries, the total will exceed 1,100 F-35s, representing about a third of the planned production for the program's lifespan.
Future Production Rates: Looking ahead, Lockheed expects to maintain a stable production rate of over 156 F-35s annually, which includes units produced at assembly facilities in Italy and Japan.
Lockheed Martin's efforts are aimed at addressing a backlog while maintaining strong demand for the F-35 program, which remains one of the most expensive weapons systems in history.
AFP
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