Copyright Michael D. Jackson for Lockheed Martin
Industryweek 11751 F 35 Lockheed
Industryweek 11751 F 35 Lockheed
Industryweek 11751 F 35 Lockheed
Industryweek 11751 F 35 Lockheed
Industryweek 11751 F 35 Lockheed

Lockheed Poised to Get $11 Billion F-35 Contract Despite Delays

Aug. 22, 2018
The defense contractor has been “late to contract requirements” in providing 209 of 308 of the planes to U.S. and international customers.

Lockheed Martin Corp. continues to deliver its next-generation F-35 aircraft late because of production flaws, even as the Pentagon is poised to award the company a potential $11 billion contract that’s the biggest yet.

The contractor for the costliest U.S. weapons system has been “late to contract requirements” in providing 209 of 308 of the planes to U.S. and international customers through June 30, the Defense Contract Management Agency said in a statement to Bloomberg News. While Lockheed and the Pentagon’s F-35 program office said they expect on-time delivery of all 91 F-35s due this year, the contract agency predicted seven won’t make that deadline.

“The government expects and needs better performance by Lockheed Martin and its suppliers,” Mark Woodbury, a spokesman for the Defense Contract Management Agency, said in the statement. Major improvements on the assembly floor will be “more difficult to achieve since many of the easy corrections have already been made,” he added.

While the Pentagon’s F-35 office concurs with most of the contract agency’s concerns, according to Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman, he said Lockheed “remains on track” to deliver all 91 jets this year. Carolyn Nelson, a Lockheed spokeswoman, said the company is making steady progress in eliminating production-line failings.

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Shifting Your Business from Products to Service-Based Business Models: Generating Predictable Revenues

Oct. 27, 2023
Executive summary on a recent IndustryWeek-hosted webinar sponsored by SAP

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!