Overview
- The $3.81 billion award, which the Pentagon announced Monday, finalizes Lot 18 F135 engine production and funds production support for Lot 19 jets.
- It draws on fiscal 2024 and 2025 procurement money, with about $1.46 billion tied to foreign military sales for partner nations.
- Work will span multiple U.S. sites led by East Hartford, Connecticut at 17 percent of the effort, with completion expected by March 2028.
- About $430.8 million in obligated funds are set to expire at the end of fiscal 2026, which could pressure near‑term contract execution if not used.
- The engine buy lines up with Lockheed Martin’s September airframe deal for Lots 18 and 19, helping keep 2026–2027 F-35 deliveries on track since the F135 is the single engine for all variants.