March 19, 2024

Lockheed Cuts F-35 Delivery Forecast

F-35

Lockheed cut its full-year delivery forecast for F-35s, blaming delays at supplier L3Harris Technologies for holding up development of an upgraded version that had been due for delivery by the end of this year. The delay is forcing delivery back to between April and June of 2024.

Lockheed Top Dollar Contractor Again

The General Services Administration released FY22’s financial commitments federal agencies made to their top 100 contractors. As in past years, Lockheed won more than anyone else, $47.7 billion – nearly as much as the next two combined: Raytheon scored $27 billion and General Dynamics at $24.7 billion.

Navy Orders Aviation Stand-Down After Crashes

Two crashes in the past week prompted a Naval Aviation stand-down to focus on operational risk management and mitigation. Two military officers died in the crash of a training aircraft in Alabama.

UFOs in DoD Ranges & Airspace Prompt New Guidelines

UFOs

A series of sightings of unknown, highly advanced aircraft intruding on Navy strike groups and other sensitive military formations and facilities has prompted new guidelines to the fleet for reporting sightings of any UFOs.

Japan’s 1st F-35 Crashes in Pacific

F-35 crashes

The jet was less than a year old with a total of 280 hours in the air; it had been aloft 28 minutes before contact was lost. This is the second F-35 to crash since the jet’s first flight in 2006 and could reignite concern about the F-35 having only one engine.

Baltimore’s Liberty Ship Needs a New Home

liberty ship

The John W. Brown is one of only two fully operational Liberty ships, which transported vast numbers of military personnel and countless tons of cargo during the war — and the only one sailing regularly out of the port city where it was built, Baltimore, where it’s lease expires September 2019.

Most F-35s Return to Flight

F-35

Most F-35s return to flight operations after fuel tubes were inspected. About 20 percent are still awaiting replacement tubes.

New Performance Incentives for F-35, Not for Industry

F-35 Pax Rver

Lockheed’s contract for future F-35s is tied to performance incentives, but DoD efforts to tie all defense contracts to performance indicators has been withdrawn in the face of industry and congressional outcry.

Senate Blocks F-35 Sale to Turkey

F-35

US Senate blocks Lockheed’s $10 billion sale of F-35s to Turkey, fearing the fighter jet’s secrets are at risk since the NATO ally’s decision to buy the Russian S-400 air defense system.

Is Trump’s F-35 a Mistake or Deal Maker?

F-35

Industry analysts are trying to calibrate the F-35’s future from Trump’s F-35 tweets that it’s cost is ‘out of control’ and word of a multi-year block buy if Lockheed does not protest a buy of F/A-18s from Boeing.