{"id":6281,"date":"2019-12-31T09:05:25","date_gmt":"2019-12-31T09:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/box5917.temp.domains\/~iriacom\/\/news\/?p=6281"},"modified":"2020-01-03T19:49:15","modified_gmt":"2020-01-03T19:49:15","slug":"lockheed-martin-delivers-134-f-35s-in-2019-surpassing-annual-target","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/lockheed-martin-delivers-134-f-35s-in-2019-surpassing-annual-target\/","title":{"rendered":"Lockheed Martin delivers 134 F-35s in 2019 surpassing annual target"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lockheed Martin delivers 134 F-35s in 2019, expects to build 141 stealthy jets in 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

The defense and aerospace company, Lockheed Martin, has reached its 2019 target to deliver 134 F-35 fighter jets to the United States and its allies \u2014 witnessing 47 percent increase from\u00a02018.<\/p>\n

The world\u2019s largest defense contractor expects to build 141 F-35s in 2020, with the expectation of peak production in 2023.<\/p>\n

“This achievement is a testament to the readiness of the full F-35 enterprise to ramp to full-rate production” said Greg Ulmer, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of the F-35 program. Lockheed Martin<\/span><\/a> has its met annual delivery targets three years in a row and continues to increase production rates, improve efficiencies and reduce costs.<\/p>\n

“The F-35 is the most capable fighter jet in the world, and we’re now delivering the 5th Generation weapon system at a cost equal to or lower than a less capable 4th Generation legacy aircraft.”<\/p>\n

The company delivered 81 aircraft to the U.S. military, 30 to international partners and 23 to Foreign Military Sales customers. The most common variation of the jet, the F-35A, now costs $77.9 million.<\/p>\n

The program has now produced a total of 490 aircraft and surpassed 240,000 cumulative flight hours. Lockheed is the F-35’s primary contractor, along with Pratt & Whitney supplying the F-135 engine and BAE Systems providing the electronic warfare systems.<\/p>\n

The F-35<\/span><\/a>, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, is a single-engine, Stealth-enabled aircraft designed for deployment for ground attack and combat.<\/p>\n

It comes in three variants: F-35A for conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL); F-35B for short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL); and the F-35C carrier-based variant for Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) variant.<\/p>\n

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NEWS: The F-35 team has delivered 134 aircraft, exceeding our delivery commitment for 2019. In 2020, 141 more F-35s will take to the skies. More: https:\/\/t.co\/S5MSWYcnRi<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/4OJDCOK2eY<\/a><\/p>\n

— F-35 Lightning II (@thef35) December 30, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n