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| US to buy more F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin | US to buy more F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The US Department of Defense is to buy another tranche of F-35 fighter jets from maker Lockheed Martin at a lower price-per-plane than previous orders. | The US Department of Defense is to buy another tranche of F-35 fighter jets from maker Lockheed Martin at a lower price-per-plane than previous orders. |
| In December, newly-elected US President Donald Trump said the cost of the Pentagon's most expensive defence programme was "out of control". | In December, newly-elected US President Donald Trump said the cost of the Pentagon's most expensive defence programme was "out of control". |
| The new order, 90 jets for $8.5bn, brings the price of each aircraft to about $95m, down from a previous $102m. | The new order, 90 jets for $8.5bn, brings the price of each aircraft to about $95m, down from a previous $102m. |
| Lockheed said Mr Trump had "sharpened our focus on driving down the price". | Lockheed said Mr Trump had "sharpened our focus on driving down the price". |
| The US government expects to spend close to $400bn in the coming decades to develop and buy 2,443 of the supersonic fighter jets. | The US government expects to spend close to $400bn in the coming decades to develop and buy 2,443 of the supersonic fighter jets. |
| Lockheed, the prime contractor, and its partners including Northrop Grumman, United Technologies Corp's Pratt & Whitney, and the UK's BAE Systems have been working on building a more cost-effective supply chain. | Lockheed, the prime contractor, and its partners including Northrop Grumman, United Technologies Corp's Pratt & Whitney, and the UK's BAE Systems have been working on building a more cost-effective supply chain. |
| So, defence analysts had expected that orders would fall in price as production rises. | So, defence analysts had expected that orders would fall in price as production rises. |
| Lockheed Martin, the world's biggest defence manufacturer, said on Friday: "President Trump's personal involvement in the F-35 program accelerated the negotiations and sharpened our focus on driving down the price." | |
| 'Fair deal' | 'Fair deal' |
| Shares of Lockheed fell sharply after the president made his "out of control" Tweet in December, and then fell again after Mr Trump complained about the military contractor at a news conference the next month. However, Lockheed's shares have since recovered. | Shares of Lockheed fell sharply after the president made his "out of control" Tweet in December, and then fell again after Mr Trump complained about the military contractor at a news conference the next month. However, Lockheed's shares have since recovered. |
| Pentagon F-35 project head Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan said the agreement was a "good and fair deal for the taxpayers, the US government, allies and industry". | Pentagon F-35 project head Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan said the agreement was a "good and fair deal for the taxpayers, the US government, allies and industry". |
| The UK government has committed to buying up to 138 F-35s, and has already taken delivery of at least three jets for evaluation and testing. | The UK government has committed to buying up to 138 F-35s, and has already taken delivery of at least three jets for evaluation and testing. |
| The F-35 programme has been dogged by delays, and in 2014 an engine fire led to the grounding of the aircraft. | The F-35 programme has been dogged by delays, and in 2014 an engine fire led to the grounding of the aircraft. |