The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $245 million contract for lot 8 production of the JASSM cruise missile. The company will build a total of about 160 missiles for USAF and foreign military sales customers during this production run, according to the Jan. 20 contract announcement. These missiles will be both in the baseline configuration and extended-range version. The Lot 8 production contract had been on hold last year, pending the results of a series of flight tests meant to verify the reliability of the missile. These tests went well, clearing the way for negotiations on Lot 8.
The U.K. and the U.S. will continue to enjoy access to the ports, airfield, and workshops at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for at least another century, under a deal inked between the U.K. and Mauritius May 22.