Lockheed Martin on June 28 reached a new labor agreement with members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers who build F-16s and F-35 strike fighters at the company’s manufacturing facility in Ft. Worth, Tex. The workers voted to accept the company’s four-year contract, ending a work stoppage that began on April 23. They will return to work on July 2, according to Lockheed Martin’s release. “With the new contract in place, we can continue concentrating on the critical requirements of our customers and our important mission of producing the world’s most advanced, highest quality combat aircraft at the Ft. Worth facility,” said Larry Lawson, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Aeronautics business area. The agreement includes general wage increases, cash payments, a choice of health plans, and other compensation and benefits, states the release.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.

