The Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.4 billion contract for F-117 Nighthawk weapon system sustainment. According to the contract, individual delivery orders may also be issued for aircraft modification, change proposal activities, supplemental sustainment support, tailored depot work packages, and aircraft disposition. The work could extend to September 2012. The Air Force has been pressing to retire the F-117 fleet by 2008 and has mollified New Mexico lawmakers by announcing plans to station F-22s at Holloman AFB, N.M., the home of the Nighthawks. The service just deactivated the F-117 test team.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
