The Navy Tuesday awarded Lockheed Martin [LMT] a roughly $700 million contract for long-lead parts, components and materials in support of 57 low rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 9 F-35 aircraft, according to a Defense Department statement.
The fixed-price-incentive, firm target, advanced acquisition contract includes 26 F-35As for the Air Force, six F-35Bs for the Marine Corps, two F-35Cs for the Navy, six F-35As for Norway, one F-35A for Italy, seven F-35As for Israel, two conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft for Japan, six F-35Bs for the United Kingdom and one F-35B for Italy. Work is to be completed by May 2015.
The F-35A is the conventional variant, the F-35B is the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant while the F-35C is the aircraft carrier variant. The F-35 is developed by Lockheed Martin with subcontractors Northrop Grumman [NOC] and BAE Systems. The F135 engine is developed by Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. [UTX] The F-35B lift system is developed by Rolls-Royce.