Today, Lockheed Martin grabbed headlines with a series of contract wins totaling over $8 billion for F-35 maintenance. But these weren’t ordinary maintenance contracts—they were part of a larger trend that’s been building over the last 30 days.
F-35 Force Multiplier
In just one day, Lockheed Martin secured five-year agreements worth up to $7.6 billion and $278 million for F-35 maintenance with the U.S. Navy and Air Force respectively. This comes on the heels of a $480 million contract awarded by the Missile Defense Agency involving the F-35. These deals are not merely about keeping the existing fleet airworthy; they’re an investment in the future, as the U.S. continues to expand its F-35 footprint globally.
Over the past 30 days, Scout has tracked nine stories related to the F-35, solidifying its status as a top technology trend. With over $1 billion in new contracts today alone, the F-35’s role as the U.S.’s premier stealth fighter remains unchallenged.
Unmanned Systems: The New Normal
Today also saw two stories involving Lockheed Martin and Saildrone, signaling an acceleration in unmanned systems integration. In October 2025, Lockheed Martin invested $50 million in Saildrone to advance USV capabilities for the U.S. Navy. Today, we’re seeing the fruits of that labor, with Saildrone participating in NATO Task Force X demonstrations and completing autonomous deep-water cable route surveys.
Saildrone’s Surveyor-class USV received full classification from ABS, setting a new benchmark for safety and reliability in autonomous maritime operations. This is not just about another contract; it’s about integrating uncrewed systems into active Allied maritime operations—a trend we’ve been tracking for the past 30 days, with 25 mentions of ‘drones’ and 15 mentions of ‘autonomous systems’.
What Else Moved:
Iran War supplemental funding request: The White House requested $87.6 billion in supplemental funding, including $67.1 billion for the Pentagon, mostly for Iran war costs. This deepens budget uncertainty for FY27.
Forward Look:
As geopolitical tensions continue to escalate, we expect to see more investments in advanced defense technologies like AI and autonomous systems. With F-35 maintenance contracts secured, Lockheed Martin may look to further expand its role in uncrewed systems integration. We’ll be watching for any further developments between Lockheed Martin and Saildrone, as well as other players in the unmanned systems space.