[WASHINGTON, DC] – Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) issued the following joint statement after the Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin have a reached a “handshake agreement” according to Ellen Lord, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, during the final stages of negotiations for the Lot 11 production contract.
“The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter – the only 5th Generation fighter currently in production – is a true game changer for our men and women in uniform. We are pleased to see continued progress by both the Department of Defense and industry with their initiatives to significantly reduce costs for the F-35 program. Since the first production lot, F-35 unit costs have declined by more than 60 percent with a clear direction to continue to reduce costs as compared to current legacy 4th Generation fighters. This agreement will support both our national security and Connecticut jobs.”
The Lot 11 order will be for 141 F-35s for both U.S. and international allies and partners, which signals the largest order thus far for the F-35 program.
In a statement by Lockheed Martin, the total contract value and price per copy would be released once the contract was finalized, but “unit price for all three F-35 variants went down significantly in the latest negotiation, demonstrating the program’s continued progress, maturity and cost reduction.”
Lockheed Martin aims to bring the unit cost for an F-35A – the most prevalent version – down to $80 million per aircraft in 2020 by capturing economies of scale and cost savings initiatives.
Of the more than 1,400 suppliers in 46 states and Puerto Rico, Connecticut proudly boasts 83 first tier suppliers that supported more than 2,802 direct and 7,761 indirect jobs for nearly $441 million direct dollars and $485 million indirect dollars.
Connecticut’s Pratt and Whitney is the sole engine manufacturer for all three variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the F135 engines they produce are contracted separately from the aircraft. In May, the Department of Defense awarded a contract for the 11th lot of F135 engines – 135 total engines – valued at approximately $2 billion dollars.
