Lockheed Martin misses F-35 jet delivery target due to COVID-19

Frank Crebas 2018 Bluelifeaviation.com

Lockheed Martin misses F-35 jet delivery target due to COVID-19 | Reuters

By Reuters Staff

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Richard Rusnok flies a Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike fighter jet during Exercise Valiant Shield 18 at Iwo To, Japan, September 18, 2018. Seth Rosenberg/U.S. Marine Corps/Handout via REUTERS

(Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp said on Monday it had missed its target to deliver 141 F-35 fighter jets to the United States and its allies in 2020, as it built 8% fewer jets after the coronavirus pandemic hampered its supply chain and factories.

The defense contractor delivered 123 aircraft in 2020, underperforming its target established in late 2019.

The company in May revised down the target to 117-123 aircraft due to parts shortage.

Reporting by Shreyasee Raj; Editing by Maju Samuel

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