DEFENSE INDUSTRY

LOCKHEED MARTIN

 U.S. Military Holds off F-35 Purchase over Chinese Alloy

Pentagon put a pause on future buys of F-35 JSF planes for the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force as it was assessing the risks of a key component of the aircraft made of alloy imported from China, according to the September 8, 2022, edition of The Dallas Morning News. The component in question is the F-35 Turbomachine manufactured by Honeywell that includes cobalt and samarium alloy recently determined to be produced in China. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter planes are one of the most coveted planes that U.S. and its allies are acquiring, generating hundreds of billions of dollars of reliable revenue pipeline for Lockheed Martin. The defense firm depends on more than 1,700 suppliers and contractors for more than 300,000 parts and components needed for F-35 aircraft. This year, Lockheed has already delivered 88 F-35 JSF planes to the U.S. military and, before the pause decision, has been on track to deliver an additional 148-153 fighter jets. The decision also impacts the delivery to foreign nations as it needs the clearance from the DOD.