Lockheed Martin announced on October 23, 2026, that it had secured a $114.63 million contract to redesign key F-35 navigation components. The work targets obsolete electronics in two systems and is expected to be completed by January 2030.
Key Takeaways
- The award covers the Global Positioning System Electronic Unit and NAV100 Inertial Navigation System.
- The redesign aims to maintain compatibility with current aircraft while avoiding production delays.
- Naval Air Systems Command oversees the contract, which was awarded without competitive bidding.
Table of Contents
- F-35 navigation work targets obsolete electronics
- Funding allocations and completion timetable
- Conclusion
F-35 navigation work targets obsolete electronics
The contract focuses on replacing obsolete electronic components in the F-35 Lightning II’s Global Positioning System Electronic Unit and NAV100 Inertial Navigation System. The objective is to preserve system performance and compatibility with current aircraft.
The redesign is intended to reduce risks from diminishing manufacturing sources without disrupting production. That makes component availability and continuity of supply central to the work, rather than a stated expansion of the aircraft’s navigation capabilities.
The project sits within the broader task of supporting aircraft already in service while production continues. Lockheed Martin’s F-35 sustainment approach describes work across government and industry to improve affordability, including efforts involving digital tools, parts availability and process efficiencies. That broader framework is separate from the specific navigation contract.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Contract value | $114.63 million |
| Fiscal 2026 procurement allocation | $46.41 million |
| International partner allocation | $21.81 million |
| Expected completion | January 2030 |
Funding allocations and completion timetable
The award identifies $46.41 million from fiscal 2026 aircraft procurement funding and $21.81 million from international F-35 cooperative program partners. Those two allocations do not constitute a full breakdown of the $114.63 million contract value.
Naval Air Systems Command oversees the noncompetitive award. January 2030 is the expected completion date, not a statement that the redesigned components have already been delivered or installed.
For Lockheed Martin, the award adds defined navigation-system work to its F-35 responsibilities. The contract’s stated scope concerns component redesign and production continuity; it does not establish a quantified effect on company earnings or shareholder distributions.
Conclusion
The F-35 navigation award addresses obsolete components and supply continuity. The confirmed timetable to watch is expected completion in January 2030; the award itself does not mark completion of the redesign.
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