More than 100 defense contractors will be in Washington for three days starting Nov. 14 at a government-hosted industry day on sustainment of the Lockheed Martin-made (NYSE: LMT) F-35 fighter jet, Defense News reports.
According to the story by Aaron Mehta and Marcus Weisgerber, sustainment costs could reach $1 trillion over the next 50 years and companies are examining how they can grab a share of that amount.
Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program office, told Defense News the office wants to have competition in the program and use a performance-based logistics strategy.
Most companies listed multiple areas of interest in sustainment work with:
- 43 highlighting supply chain management
- 38 listing support equipment
- 31 for training and simulation
- 41 in an autonomic logistics information system.
According to an agenda posted on FedBizOpps, the first day of the event will feature presentations from program office representatives on areas of work, followed by a question-and-answer session and then a series of 20-minute one-on-one sessions.
The next two days will comprise solely of one-on-one meetings and DellaVedova told Defense News the office had to extend the one-on-one sessions from two days, as originally planned, to three because of high demand.
Lockheed spokesman Michael Rein told Defense News the company will participate in the industry day but not deliver a formal presentation.
