Lockheed Martin, DoD finalize LRIP-8 contract for F-35s
NewsNovember 24, 2014
Lockheed Martin and the Department of Defense (DoD) have finalized the eighth F-35 Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP-8) contract. The contract, worth $4.7 billion, called for 43 F-35 Lightning II airframes. The 43 airframes include 29 jets for the U.S. and 14 for five international countries.
Of the 29 U.S. jet airframes, 19 of them are F-35As, six F-35Bs, and four F-35Cs. The LRIP-8 contract provides two F-35As for Israel; four F-35As for Japan; two F-35As for Norway; and two F-35As for Italy. The U.K. will receive four F-35Bs.
The LRIP-8 contract also funds manufacturing-support equipment as well as ancillary mission equipment. The LRIP-8 contract contains performance-based payments, whereby the contractor will receive incremental payment as specified performance criteria are achieved along the production line until government aircraft acceptance.
As of November 2014, Lockheed Martin has delivered 115 F-35s, including test aircraft, from the production facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The U.S., eight Partner nations, and three Foreign Military Sales customers have announced plans to procure more than 3,200 F-35 aircraft over the life of the program.
Lockheed Martin will begin delivering the LRIP-8 aircraft frames in early spring 2016. Once production of LRIP-8 aircraft is completed, more than 200 F-35s will be in operation by eight nations.
For more information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com.
