
The Defense Department accepted its 36th F-35 Joint Strike Fighter on Monday, completing the production goal for the year and demonstrating prime contractor Lockheed Martin’s [LMT] ability to ramp up production. The jet’s delivery brings the program to 109 total operation aircraft in the U.S. and partner nations. It was also the first F-35C carrier variant delivered to the Marine Corps. "Meeting U.S. and international aircraft delivery goals is a stepping stone," Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, F-35 program executive officer,…