"Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company [of] Fort Worth, Texas is awarded an $861,731,778 modification ... contract", the release said on Monday. "This modification exercises options to procure eight Lot 14 F-35A Lightning II ... aircraft as a result of ... Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program and six Lot 14 F-35A aircraft for the Air Force".
The Defence Department said most of the work on modifying the eight F-35A jets previously planned to be sent to Turkey for US Air Force requirements will be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas; El Segundo, California; and Warton in the United Kingdom.
Work on modifying the aircraft is expected to take almost six years and to be completed by May 2026, the release said.
Previously, Washington decided to exclude Ankara from the US F-35 fighter programme for purchasing the Russian S-400 air and missile defence system, which caused a diplomatic spat between the two NATO allies.