CJA-25-370 - Block 4 5_Redacted.pdf

This is a Class Justification and Approval (CJ&A) document authorizing non-competitive sole-source contracting for F-35 Lightning II developmental efforts.

The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) F-35 Joint Program Office seeks to award multiple contracts and in-scope modifications on a sole-source basis to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company (LM Aero) for developmental efforts necessary to deliver F-35 Lightning II Block 4 and Block 5 upgrades. The total authorized value is $14,444 million, funded across fiscal years FY25 through FY35. Work includes assessments and evaluations of the F-35 Air System's ability to meet future operational requirements; pre-development systems engineering including programmatic planning and decomposition; systems engineering activities and reviews; capability design, development, and integration; hardware and software upgrades; flight test instrumentation procurement and installation; Next Generation Mission Planning tools development; laboratory test services and infrastructure upgrades; and comprehensive test and evaluation efforts. Customers include the U.S. Air Force, Department of Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, F-35 International Partners, and Foreign Military Sales customers. The authority to act under this CJ&A expires September 30, 2035.

The justification for sole-source award cites 10 U.S.C. § 3204(a)(1), establishing that only LM Aero can satisfy agency requirements. The rationale emphasizes that LM Aero is the original designer, developer, integrator, and manufacturer with unrestricted access to technical data and engineering knowledge required for performance within necessary timeframes. The government did not acquire technical data suitable for competition under the original System Development and Demonstration contract. Qualifying an alternative manufacturer would require an estimated seven to nine years at approximately $30 billion in cost, creating unacceptable duplication and delays. SAM website postings on May 22, 2025 indicated the Government's intent to award sole-source to LM Aero, and no responses were received to the capability statements request. Previous J&As awarded on sole-source basis support the continuity of effort from prior contracts.