Pentagon wants more data from Lockheed Martin in exchange for F-35 performance-based logistics deal

The Pentagon wants additional data from F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) prime contractor Lockheed Martin if it is going to enter any sort of multi-year performance-based logistics (PBL) contract with the company.

Lieutenant General Eric Fick, F-35 programme executive officer (PEO), said on 4 March that the Joint Program Office (JPO) is considering a range of options to get more of this data, including licensing or perhaps challenging Lockheed Martin’s data assertions. While Lt Gen Fick did not specifically say which data he wanted, he is seeking the “right data” that would give the JPO options at the tail end of any PBL that it would enter.

The Pentagon faces tough odds in getting F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin to give up some data, but it is not impossible because companies often claim rights to data that is naturally the government’s. (US Air Force)

Lockheed Martin is working with the JPO on this PBL and believes that it would enable more opportunity for industry to leverage multi-year investments that yield improvements at lower cost. Lt Gen Fick said he downplayed Lockheed Martin’s first PBL white paper because it did not get at what the JPO would want in such an arrangement.

As the two parties negotiate some sort of PBL deal, the Pentagon is putting into place a more traditional sustainment contract for 2021 with options for 2022 and 2023. Lt Gen Fick said this is so the JPO does not feel forced to entering a contractual agreement that it would not want to live with.