Pentagon Escalates Rhetoric Against Lockheed Over F-35

Pentagon officials are offering increasingly blunt criticism of Lockheed Martin Corp., the world’s largest defense company, in efforts to curb the escalating cost of its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Air Force Lieutenant General Christopher Bogdan, the top defense official overseeing the program, used an appearance at an Australian air show to berate Lockheed and engine maker Pratt & Whitney for trying to “squeeze every nickel” out of the Pentagon and not doing more to cut costs.