Lockheed Martin receives $210m to support UK Royal Air Force's F-35B Lightning II fifth-generation STOVL fighters

Lockheed Martin will support the F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation fighter jets that have been delivered to the UK. The announcement has been published on the US Department of Defense website.

Here's What We Know

The Pentagon has allocated Lockheed Martin $210 million. The defence department said in a statement that the US company will provide logistics and logistical support. In particular, it mentions warehousing services, supply chain operations, logistics information system operation, as well as pilot training and ground maintenance.

The UK is the operator of the F-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) fighters. The UK received three aircraft late last year, increasing the fleet to 30.

Three F-35B fighters are used for pilot training and are therefore in the US. It is also worth noting that one aircraft crashed while landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth more than a year ago. Britain wants to allocate more than $11bn for the purchase of 74 fighter jets by 2032.

Source: Pentagon