Lockheed Martin Statement on Sec. Mattis Review of the F-35 Program
“Lockheed Martin stands ready to support Secretary Mattis’ review of the F-35 program and welcomes the appropriate focus on affordability and capability. We are confident such a thorough and objective analysis will show that only the F-35, with its advanced stealth and sensors, can meet the 21st century air superiority requirements of all of our military services.
We also believe there are opportunities to continue to drive down program costs by using sound buying practices such as multi-year procurement that enable the Government to purchase thousands of critical components at an economic scale. With more than 200 aircraft delivered and initial operating capability declared by the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force, we are confident that now is the right time to begin taking advantage of this and other proven smart buying strategies.”
We also believe there are opportunities to continue to drive down program costs by using sound buying practices such as multi-year procurement that enable the Government to purchase thousands of critical components at an economic scale. With more than 200 aircraft delivered and initial operating capability declared by the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force, we are confident that now is the right time to begin taking advantage of this and other proven smart buying strategies.”