Navy Awards Lockheed Martin $43.67M to Upgrade F-35 Reprogramming Labs

On October 28, 2026, the U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a $43.67 million noncompetitive cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for operating-system upgrades at F-35 reprogramming laboratory facilities. The action, modification P00025 under contract N00019-22-C-0046, extends the work supporting the laboratories used to develop and manage mission data for the F-35. The planned completion date is April 2030. Because this is a modification to an existing contract and was awarded noncompetitively, it is an executed procurement action—not an open bid opportunity for new offerors.

The Navy’s stated work distribution places 80% of performance at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and 20% in Fort Worth, Texas. That geographic split is relevant to firms assessing potential subcontracting, staffing, facilities, and support needs around the program. It does not, by itself, indicate that the Navy is seeking new regional providers. The source reports that all listed U.S. funds were obligated at award, providing an immediate funding commitment for the modified effort, while the work schedule points to a multi-year execution period.

The laboratory upgrade has broader relevance because F-35 reprogramming supports a multi-service and international-partner operating environment. The agencies identified in connection with the effort include the Naval Air Systems Command, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Marine Corps, alongside the Navy. Modernizing laboratory operating systems can have implications for the technical environment in which mission-data work is conducted, including compatibility, integration, and sustainment requirements. The source does not specify the systems being replaced, technical standards, or detailed upgrade tasks, so vendors should avoid treating those details as confirmed requirements.

For industry, the award is best read as a market signal rather than an immediate capture opportunity. The related Common Reprogramming Tool effort and F-35 electronic warfare modification kits provide context for adjacent demand involving compatible laboratory systems, hardware, and mission-data integration. Companies can use these connected activities to inform long-term capability positioning, partner outreach, and regional resource planning, while monitoring official procurement channels for separately competed requirements. The present contract modification itself is noncompetitive, and the available reporting does not announce a new solicitation or identify additional awardees.

• Award date: October 28, 2026; the U.S. Navy placed the modification with Lockheed Martin.
• Value and structure: $43.67 million, awarded noncompetitively as a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification.
• Contract reference: P00025 under contract N00019-22-C-0046.
• Scope: Operating-system upgrades at F-35 reprogramming laboratory facilities.
• Schedule: Work is expected to be completed in April 2030.
• Performance locations: 80% at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and 20% in Fort Worth, Texas.
• Funding status: All listed U.S. funds were obligated at award, according to the source material.
• Procurement status: This is an awarded modification, not an open solicitation; vendors should not interpret it as an active bid opportunity.
• Market context: The Common Reprogramming Tool effort and F-35 electronic warfare modification kits may help suppliers assess adjacent needs in compatible systems, hardware, and mission-data integration.
• Planning implication: Relevant firms can assess regional labor and facility capacity and track official notices for future, separately competed requirements without assuming one is currently available.