. 24/7 Space News .
AEROSPACE
Navy awards $90M to Lockheed to cut cost of F-35 air system
by Ed Adamczyk
Washington (UPI) Feb 6, 2019

Lockheed Martin was awarded a $90 million contract modification to reduce the cost of F-35 fighter aircraft, the U.S. Navy announced.

The contract, awarded to the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Corporation subsidiary, calls for the identification and execution of cost-reduction efforts for the F-35's air system.

That work will be performed at the company's Fort Worth, Texas, facility. It combines Air Force, Navy and Marine purchases of the plane. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting agent.

Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, a former executive of Lockheed Martin competitor Boeing, has criticized the F-35's price, which currently stands at about $90 million for each aircraft. Compounding those cost concerns, the U.S. military and allies temporarily grounded all F-35 variants worldwide in October 2017 over "suspect fuel tubes," the F-35 Joint Program Office said at the time.

"I am biased toward giving the taxpayer their money's worth, and the F-35, unequivocally, I can say, has a lot of opportunity for more performance," Shanahan said in January, after reports that the Defense Department was considering the purchase of Boeing's F-15 fighter planes.

Defense analysts and politicians also criticized of the fifth-generation multi-role stealth fighter's increasing costs. In condemning the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin for delays and cost overruns in 2017, the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said the plane was the "poster child for acquisition malpractice." As a candidate in 2016, President Donald Trump called the plane's costs "out of control" before the Defense Department announced a deal to eliminate an estimated $728 million in the cost of 90 F-35s it ordered.

Last September, the price per plane fell to below $90 million for the first time as Lockheed Martin had begun building the planes faster. The plane now comes in three variants, costing between $89 million and $115.5 million each.

"We're going to continue to drive the price down, and we won't stop there," Lockheed Martin CEO Marilyn Hewson said. "We will always be looking at ways that we can take cost down in the program as it continues to mature and grow."

The company delivered 91 F-35s to the U.S. military and its allies in 2018, a 40 percent increase over the previous year.


Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


AEROSPACE
Last operational F-18 Hornet squadron flies into the sunset
Washington (UPI) Feb 5, 2019
During a sundown ceremony, the last operational F/A-18C Hornet squadron took flight over Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va., as the military transitions to new jets. The "Blue Blasters," the lone Hornet squadron that has not transitioned to Boeing's F/A-18E Super Hornet, took flight on Feb. 1, the Navy announced on Monday. The Navy has flown the Hornet since 1978, including deploying the F/A-18A/B Hornet in 1983 and the upgraded F-18C/D model in 1987. The larger F/A-18E/F Su ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

AEROSPACE
ISRO Unveils Human Space Flight Centre in Bengaluru

Blue Origin to make 10th flight test of space tourist rocket

Duration of UAE Astronaut's Mission on Board ISS Reduced to 8 Days

NASA Announces Updated Crew Assignment for Boeing Flight Test

AEROSPACE
Roscosmos Singles Out Design of Carrier Rocket for Lunar Missions

Arianespace to launch two telecommunications satellites with Ariane 5

China launched world's first rocket-deployed weather instruments from unmanned semi-submersible vehicle

P120C solid rocket motor tested for use on Vega-C

AEROSPACE
What Can Curiosity Tell Us About How a Martian Mountain Formed

Research Uses Curiosity Rover to Measure Gravity on Mars

Curiosity Says Farewell to Mars' Vera Rubin Ridge

Mars Rover Curiosity Makes Gravity-Measuring Traverse

AEROSPACE
China to send over 50 spacecraft into space via over 30 launches in 2019

China to deepen lunar exploration: space expert

China launches Zhongxing-2D satellite

China welcomes world's scientists to collaborate in lunar exploration

AEROSPACE
3400 new UK space jobs created

OneWeb delays launch of satellites due to problems with Russian carrier rocket

Asgardia Micro-Nation to Launch 10,000 Satellites to Make Web Free

Thales Alenia Space and Maxar Consortium Achieve Major Milestone in Design Phase of Telesat's LEO Satellite Constellation

AEROSPACE
Raytheon's Spy-6 Navy radar passes most complicated test

Capella Space Selects Phase Four for Maxwell On-Orbit Propulsion System

3D printed tires and shoes that self-repair

Researchers use artificial neural networks to streamline materials testing

AEROSPACE
Where Is Earth's Submoon?

Planetary collision that formed the Moon made life possible on Earth

Astronomers find star material could be building block of life

Double star system flips planet-forming disk into pole position

AEROSPACE
New Horizons' Newest and Best-Yet View of Ultima Thule

Missing link in planet evolution found

Juno's Latest Flyby of Jupiter Captures Two Massive Storms

Outer Solar System Orbits Not Likely Caused by "Planet Nine"









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.