Tardy F-35s Are Deemed ‘On Time’ by Pentagon, Boosting Lockheed
- Monthly delivery targets in $406 billion program still missed
- Delays, deficiencies dog program even as allied interest soars
This article is for subscribers only.
Lockheed Martin Corp. delivered 91 of its F-35 jets in 2018 as promised, but only 54 were “on-time” based on monthly contract targets -- and 19 of those were reclassified from “late” in a settlement of production issues with the Pentagon.
The tardy deliveries mark the fifth consecutive year in which Lockheed’s missed the monthly dates, which are different from annual targets agreed to with the Pentagon’s F-35 program office, according to the Defense Contract Management Agency.