Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is being awarded a $3.7 billion modification to an existing contract for the low-rate production of Lot 11 F-35 Lightning II aircraft.

The modification will purchase 50 F-35s for foreign military sales customers including Britain, the Netherlands, Australia, Turkey, and Norway, among other recipients.

The contract also includes equipment and additional maintenance services for the foreign customers, as well as the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy.

The work will primarily be conducted in Ft. Worth, Texas, and also at other national and international locations including Britain, Italy and Japan. The contract is expected to be completed by December 2020 with $2.2 billion in funds already obligated.

Of the nine countries who were original participants in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, including the United States, six have received jets for evaluation and training. Israel, Japan and the Republic of Korea are also participating under foreign military sales. Belgium and Finland have also been evaluating the fighter as a replacement for their respective F-16 and F/A-18 fleets.

Components for the F-35 are manufactured in all partner countries, and Final Assembly and Check Out facilities are located in Ft. Worth, Texas, Cameri, Italy, and Nagoya, Japan.

The F-35 Lightning II 5th generation stealth fighter is slated to replace much of the U.S. fighter fleet and many foreign air forces. The U.S. is by far the largest customer, with an expected procurement of well over 2,000 aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. Foreign customers are also expected to purchase hundreds of the aircraft, including key members of NATO.

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Boeing, U.S. military finish EMP testing on KC-46 tanker
Washington (UPI) Jul 27, 2017
A joint team composed of teams from Boeing, the Air Force, and the Naval Air Systems command have completed a series of tests for the KC-46 tanker aircraft's resistance to electromagnetic radiation. The testing took place at Naval Air Station Patuxent, Md. electromagnetic pulse laboratory and the Benefield Anechoic Facility at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. "The KC-46 tanker is p ... read more

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