Pentagon OKs $17M Lockheed Martin contract for Greek F-35s

​​​​​​​WASHINGTON

The Pentagon has approved a new $17.2 million agreement for Lockheed Martin to provide Greece with support for its inclusion in the multination F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.

Under the contract, the defense contractor will "provide engineering and technical support, program management, non-recurring unique requirements, and training in support of integration efforts for the government for Greece as an F-35 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer," the Pentagon said in a statement Monday.

The contract is expected to be completed by May 2028 and includes work at several sites across the US, including the states of California, Texas, Florida, Maryland and South Carolina. About 4% of the contract involves work at a site in Lancashire, United Kingdom.

The Greek Air Force is slated to receive 20 F-35A jets after Athens signed an agreement last July to join the program.

The F-35A is a stealth fighter capable of flying at a height of above 50,000 feet, with a range of more than 1,350 miles, according to the US Air Force.