Lockheed Martin Wins Billions to Manufacture F-35 Jets for Foreign Customers

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US defense giant Lockheed Martin will manufacture 50 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters for several foreign military customers under a contract worth nearly $3.7 billion, the Department of Defense said in a press release on Friday.

"Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $3,693,062,124 to the previously awarded low-rate initial production Lot 11 F-35 Lightning II advance acquisition contract," the release said. "This modification provides for the procurement of 50 aircraft for non-Department of Defense international participants and foreign military sales (FMS) customers."

The sales includes two variants of the Joint Strike Aircraft. The F-35B vertical takeoff and landing version used by the US Marine Corps, and the F-35A version designed for the US Air Force.

The United Kingdom will receive the lone F-35B, according to the release. Italy, Australia, Netherlands, Turkey and Norway will get F-35A aircraft.

Another 22 F-35A aircraft will be manufactured for foreign military sales, the release added. The nations were not specified in the release.

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