Lockheed Martin to recoat U.S. Air Force F-22s

March 17 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has received a $40 million contract modification to sustain the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor fleet.

Under the agreement, the company will strip and recoat F-22 coatings reverting earlier than initially expected.

Work on the contract will be performed at various locations in California, Georgia, Utah and Texas. The U.S. Department of Defense expects the work to be completed by the end of June 2019.

Lockheed Martin received $6.4 million at the time of the modification award. The project will be managed by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center located in Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

The F-22 Raptor is a 5th-generation tactical stealth fighter first introduced in December 2005. Lockheed Martin says the plane is designed to perform air superiority missions. The jet is typically armed short-range missiles and long-range missiles with beyond-visual-range capabilities. It can also fire air-to-surface weapons.

The U.S. Air Force is the only F-22 operator.