NAVAIR awards Block 4-related F-35 contracts
An F-35A Lightning II takes off for a training mission in July 2021. (Photo: US Air National Guard/Tech Sgt Ryan Campbell)
Latest contracts cover F-35 Block 4 manufacturing capacity, Block 4 simulation and training plus depot-level engine maintenance.
In a flurry of activity, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in the US on 30 September awarded multiple contracts related to the F-35 programme.
Lockheed Martin received two contract modifications worth $265.59 million and $228.68 million respectively.
The former exercises options and adds scope to increase Block 4 manufacturing capacity ‘and procure material modification kits and special test/tooling equipment that remove life limits, correct deficiencies, and retrofit aircraft with Technical Refresh 3’, the DoD announced.
These retrofits and modifications cover F-35s operated by the USAF, USMC and USN, as well as FMS customers and other operators.
Work is expected to be completed in September 2028.
The other contract modification, for completion by December 2025, adds scope for Lockheed Martin to develop F-35 training systems with a simulation capability for Block 4, ‘to include Joint Strike Missiles, weapons, integrated fire control, [the] F-35 Lightning Integrated Training Environment, and additional training development required to meet a Lot 17 delivery’, the DoD revealed.
In yet another NAVAIR deal for the F-35 that was announced on 30 September, Raytheon and Pratt & Whitney received a $232.78 million contract to procure material and support equipment for depot-level F135 engine maintenance facilities and unit-level support equipment at various locations by September 2025, including sites in Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and the US.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Air Warfare
-
![Boeing E-7A still in South Korean AEW&C competition, despite dropout reports]()
Boeing E-7A still in South Korean AEW&C competition, despite dropout reports
The E-7A is one of three aircraft submitted for the South Korean AEW&C II competition, which seeks to acquire four more aircraft of the type for its air force by 2028.
-
![France pushes for 80% workshare as FCAS programme nears critical development stage]()
France pushes for 80% workshare as FCAS programme nears critical development stage
Tensions on the programme have long simmered, with Airbus and Dassault recently clashing over workshare in June ahead of the Paris Air Show. The sixth-generation fighter programme is due to replace Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon jets beginning in 2040.
-
![US Navy acquires additional anti-submarine warfare kits for P-8A Poseidon aircraft]()
US Navy acquires additional anti-submarine warfare kits for P-8A Poseidon aircraft
The contract modification, awarded to Boeing, is worth $61.2 million and will support the US Navy’s (USN's) evolution of its P-8 Poseidon aircraft as continued upgrades are made to boost its capabilities and lethality.
-
![Union slams “self-sabotage” of UK government over Typhoon production]()
Union slams “self-sabotage” of UK government over Typhoon production
The UK Ministry of Defence remains resolute that the Typhoon sits at the heart of the country’s air defence capabilities and is focused on the aircraft’s potential export orders, despite its continued focus on F-35 procurement.
-
![South Korea considers cancellation of second AH-64E Apache helicopter purchase]()
South Korea considers cancellation of second AH-64E Apache helicopter purchase
The likely scrapping of Boeing’s Apache helicopter comes after a huge budget cut approved by the South Korean National Assembly. The helicopter procurement had already been reconsidered by the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff earlier in the year.
