Contract: Lockheed Martin, $522.2M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an advance acquisition contract with an estimated value of $522,200,000 to provide for long-lead efforts and materials associated with the production and delivery of 42 low-rate initial production Lot V F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. This contract provides for 22 conventional take off and landing aircraft for the Air Force; 13 short take off and vertical landing aircraft for the Marine Corps; and seven carrier variant aircraft for the Navy. Work will be performed in Texas, California, Florida, New Hampshire, Maryland and the United Kingdom. Work is expected to be completed in May 2011. This contract combines purchases for the Navy, 63 percent, and Air Force, 37 percent. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/06/10) Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home to the F-35 joint training center.