WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Deliveries of F-35 jets to the U.S. military have resumed, but the U.S. government is withholding the final $5 million payment for each jet until the completion of the TR-3 technology upgrade, the F-35 Joint Program Office said on Thursday.
“We have coordinated the terms and conditions with Lockheed Martin. As a portion of the agreement, approximately $5 million per aircraft is being withheld and will be released as combat capability is delivered,” an F-35 joint program office spokesman said.
The F-35 costs an average of $82.5 million each for the F-35A variant being delivered in calendar years 2023, 2024 and 2025. The short takeoff and landing “B” variant and the Navy’s “C” variant for use on aircraft carriers cost on average $109 million and $102.1 million respectively.
(Reporting by Mike Stone)
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