Lockheed receives F-35 components award

• Tweet

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- The U.S. Defense Department reported that Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is being given an advance acquisition contract for F-35 parts and components.

The parts and components are required for low-rate initial production of 38 Lot VI Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters.

Nineteen conventional takeoff and landing aircraft will be produced for the U.S. Air Force; four CTOLs for the government of Italy; two CTOLs for the government of Australia; six short takeoff vertical landing aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps; and seven carrier variant aircraft for the U.S. Navy.

Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas; El Segundo, Calif.; Warton in Britain; Orlando, Fla.; Nashua, N.H.; and Baltimore.

The Defense Department said the work is expected to be completed in December 2012.

The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

The advance contract for 38 aircraft is worth $535.3 million. The previous year's advance procurement contract (LRIP Lot V) was worth $522.2 million for 42 aircraft.