Lockheed Martin will put at least $7 billion of its own funds toward initiatives supporting the F-35 program under a finalized 10-year framework, as a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report documents readiness shortfalls across every variant.
The U.S. Department of War said Thursday, Oct. 22, that Lockheed would self-fund the initiatives. Neither the department’s statement nor Lockheed’s announcement explained how the money would be allocated. The announcements did not disclose the framework’s total value or final aircraft prices, leaving the overall procurement cost unsettled.
Lockheed’s release lists initial spare parts and 10 years of modification kits and sustainment for the global fleet. Congressional authorization and appropriations remain necessary before the framework can proceed to a formal award. Once those are in place, the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed can settle the deal’s terms, prices and delivery schedule. EconoTimes previously reported the framework’s 850-aircraft minimum for U.S. forces.
In fiscal 2025, each F-35 variant fell more than 35 percentage points short of its full mission-capable minimum-performance target, GAO reported. All variants also missed the mission-capable minimum performance level by at least 10 percentage points. Air Force officials attributed the decline in full mission-capable rates to software delays on new aircraft, scarce parts, and corrosion inspections and remediation, according to the GAO report.
Lockheed says a steadier buying horizon should help suppliers plan output and coordinate purchases, with the company forecasting billions of dollars in savings over the program’s life. It has not set final pricing. For the coming decade, Lockheed projects the broader program will underpin 317,000 U.S. jobs and produce about $79 billion a year in economic activity. The company-funded pledge does not establish the taxpayer cost of the overall plan, which the announcements did not price.
Congressional authorization and funding are the next required steps; the announcements set no timetable for congressional action.
