Lockheed Late Delivering Its F-35s for Fourth Consecutive Year

  • Defense contract agency uses different metrics from contractor
  • Nine of the planes were supposed to be delivered previous year

Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35

Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg

Lock
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Lockheed Martin Corp. failed to meet delivery timelines set out in contracts for its F-35 jet for the fourth consecutive year, according to the Pentagon’s contract management agency.

It’s a less upbeat assessment of Lockheed’s performance than was offered earlier this week by the No. 1 U.S. defense contractor, which said it met its “2017 delivery commitment” of 66 planes.