Lockheed Martin Corp. has a multi-billion deal from the Defense Department for the purchase of 141 F-35 combat jets, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal, Reuters and other news sources, citing Defense Department officials.
Lockheed and the Defense Department have been negotiating the deal for nearly a year, but have been held up by the price. According to the Journal, the deal is likely to be worth more than $12 billion. News of the preliminary deal was released during the biennial Farnborough Air Show in England.
The F-35s are made in Lockheed’s Fort Worth plant.