Lockheed Martin awarded $141.7M for repair capabilities for the F-35

Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin received a $141.7 million contract modification for repair capabilities for the F-35 combat aircraft, the Pentagon announced.

This contract is funded with Fiscal 2019 funds from Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps coffers.

Lockheed closed out 2019 with $2.35 billion in contracts to support the aircraft, versions of which are used by the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps.

The F-35 is considered the most advanced fighter aircraft in the sky, and this week Hill AFB, Utah, celebrated the recognition its 388th and 419th Fighter Wings of F-35 fighter planes reaching "Full Warfighting Capability."

It's also a significant driver of the Pentagon's budget: an August DoD report said the F-35 program grew by $25 billion in 2018 and was the primary reason the Pentagon's budget grew by 4 percent that year.

The DoD's fiscal year 2021 budget proposal requests $11.4 billion for 79 Joint Strike Fighters, whose cost Lockheed said it has brought down to less than $80 million per plane.