
The follow-on development phase for the U.S. Department of Defense’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is expected to cost about $10.9 billion over seven years, the program’s leader said March 7.If the development plan is approved by DoD and service leaders, the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy will cover $7.2 billion of the cost from fiscal year 2018 to 2024, while the program’s international partners will pay the remaining $3.7 billion, said Navy Vice Adm. Mat Winter, the F-35’s…