Defense
Pentagon Keeps $398 Billion F-35’s Full-Rate Production on Hold
- Decision on most lucrative phase delayed over combat testing
- Biden administration to face uncertainty on costliest weapon
The F-35 fighter is in use by the military in nine nations, including the U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps.
Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The Pentagon has put a decision on approving full-rate production of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 on indefinite hold, as officials remain unable to say when the fighter jet will be ready for combat testing that’s been delayed repeatedly since 2017.
The most recent of many milestones for a full production decision on the $398 billion program -- “no later than March” of next year -- has been scrapped by Ellen Lord, the Defense Department’s undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment.