During his visit to the Fort Worth production facility, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressed more than 600 Lockheed Martin employees, emphasizing the program’s centrality to national defense. He lauded the workforce for meeting President Trump’s challenge to accelerate capabilities for the warfighter and reaffirmed the department’s commitment to procurement reform. His remarks underscored the administration’s focus on delivering advanced platforms rapidly to deter future conflicts.

Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant achieved a record output of 191 F-35 jets in 2025, marking an annual production rate five times faster than any allied fighter program. This performance is supported by a network of over 1,900 U.S. suppliers—more than half of which are small businesses—illustrating the strength of American manufacturing. The fleet now exceeds 1,290 operational jets across 50 bases worldwide, having logged over one million flight hours last year.

Last week, Lockheed Martin signed a landmark framework agreement with the U.S. Department of War to scale up production of PAC-3® Missile Segment Enhancement interceptors. This initial execution of the Acquisition Transformation Strategy is expected to shorten lead times by 30 percent and increase annual interceptor deliveries by more than 40 percent, supporting integrated air and missile defense requirements in contested theaters.

Jefferies reiterated its Hold rating on Lockheed Martin and raised its 12-month price target from $500 to $540, reflecting confidence in program execution balanced against valuation headwinds. In the latest quarter, ORG Partners LLC reduced its position by 61.7 percent, citing portfolio rebalancing, while Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake by 285.7 percent and Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. established a new position. These moves signal a split in investor sentiment regarding Lockheed Martin’s near-term growth trajectory.