- Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) is narrowing in on a ~$4B deal with the Department of Defense for 43 more F-35 fighter jets that will lower the cost of the jet's airframe by 2-4%.
- The government buys the jets' engines separately from Pratt & Whitney, which said this week that contracts for the seventh and eighth batches of its F135 engines will result in prices 7.5%-8% cheaper than the firm's last purchase.
- Other initiatives are also being worked on to lower the plane's costs, including changes in manufacturing and "block buys" by some foreign countries with pending orders.
- Lockheed is also investing $170M in cost-cutting measures with suppliers BAE Systems (OTCPK:BAESY) and Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) to generate combined savings of $1.8B.