A Canadian Forces pilot has his picture taken in front of a F-35 Strike Fighter in Ottawa, Canada, in this 2010 file photo.FORT WORTH, Texas - The Department of Defense has awarded a $3.4 billion contract to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in North Texas to build fighter planes for the U.S. military and also foreign services.
Under the terms of the contract, the Lockheed plant in Fort Worth will expand its manufacturing of various models of the F-35 fighter plane.
Nineteen planes will be built for the Air Force, six for the Marine Corps and four for the Navy. Six others will be manufactured for England, Italy and Norway.
Lockheed also will manufacture support equipment and other related products.
The bulk of the work will be done in Fort Worth but some will go to Lockheed facilities in El Segundo, Calif., Orlando, Fla., and elsewhere.
Aircraft deliveries are expected to be completed by October 2016.