Pentagon Cuts Its Request for Lockheed’s F-35s by 35%
- Defense Department to seek 61 in next budget instead of 94
- Fighter is flying over Eastern Europe despite software issues
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The Pentagon will request 61 F-35s in its next budget, 33 fewer of the stealth jets from Lockheed Martin Corp. than previously planned, according to people familiar with the spending blueprint.
The U.S. Defense Department had planned to fund 94 of the fighters in fiscal 2023, up from the 85 in this year’s budget, according to the most recent “Selected Acquisition Report” on its costliest program.