Lockheed Martin Wins $109 Million US Navy Contract For F-35 Hardware, Software Upgrades

The US Navy has awarded a $109 million contract to Lockheed Martin for hardware and software upgrade kits in support of the F-35 Joint strike fighter aircraft.

The awarded contract is for the procurement of 567 modification kits for offboard system hardware and turnaround assets, and also recurring labor for the completion of hardware and software upgrades in support of the F-35 Lighting III Block 3F upgrade for Air Force ($62,663,062); Marine Corps ($43,453,490); Navy $3,060,885); and international partners ($386,297), the US Department of Defense said in a press release Tuesday.

Block 3F is the fifth of six software upgrades planned for flight controls, radar functionality, communications, navigation and identification, electronic attack, sensor fusion and weapons deployment.

Work is expected to be completed in December 2021.

Fiscal 2015 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps); fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps and Navy); fiscal 2017 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force); and international partner funds in the amount of $109,563,735 are being obligated at time of award, $101,788,101 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, the release states.