Pentagon, Lockheed Agree To Build More F-35s

The Defense Department and Lockheed Martin Corp., have reached an agreement that would lead to the production of 43 F-35 Lightning II aircraft. Funding for the contract would begin with the defense-spending bill for fiscal year 2014, which ended Oct. 1. Lockheed would begin delivering the aircraft in 2016. The company did not release cost details in making the announcement Oct. 27, noting that the price tag should be about 3.6 percent lower than the previous contract.