Lockheed Martin and US Department of War set out ten-year F-35 framework

A framework for multiyear F-35 production covers 850 US aircraft over ten years at up to 156 a year, pending multiyear authority. Pratt & Whitney has started building at Rzeszów where it makes F135 parts.

The US Department of War and Lockheed Martin have unveiled a framework agreement for multiyear F-35 Lightning II production and sustainment. It covers 850 US aircraft over ten years with associated initial spares, ten years of modification kits and sustainment, and international customer orders across Lots 21 to 30, at a continued production rate of 156 aircraft a year. It is a framework. If multiyear authority and the associated appropriations are granted in the coming months, the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin will work to finalise contract terms, pricing and schedules through a formal contract award.

The figures set out the shape of the enterprise the framework would fix. The 850 US aircraft average 85 a year over the ten years, within a 156 a year rate that also covers the international customer orders across Lots 21 to 30. The same agreement adds ten years of modification kits and sustainment alongside the new aircraft, with initial spares attached to the 850.

Jim Taiclet, Lockheed Martin's chairman, president and CEO, said the certainty of a multiyear framework lets the company make the upfront investments needed to expand capacity, improve efficiency and build a more resilient supply chain. On the engine side, Pratt & Whitney has started building a $100 million facility at Rzeszów in Poland, due to be operational in 2028 with more than 120 jobs, to increase production capacity, introduce manufacturing of critical rotating components and meet growing global demand for commercial and military engines including the GTF, F135 and F100. The Rzeszów site already produces key F135 parts, F100 static structures and the GTF fan drive gear system, and builds engines from the PT6, PW200, PW500/600 and PW800 families. Piotr Owsicki, Pratt & Whitney's general manager in Rzeszów, says the investment was a plan six months ago and that construction now turns that plan into reality. We reported the company's expansion in Poland in April and a $25 million investment in Poland in September.

Also this week: Re:Build Manufacturing has secured $2.1 billion in new funding for US manufacturing including aerospace and defence. Gulfstream has flown the fully outfitted G400 test aircraft for the first time. Virgin Galactic has set 28 October for its lead Delta Class spaceship to fly to Spaceport America. Innovative Aerosystems has been selected by Dornier Seawings to supply the Liberty data acquisition unit for the Seastar.