Lockheed Martin To Stop Making F-16 Jets
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FORT WORTH (CBSDW.COM) - For the first time in nearly 40 years the F-16 fighter jet assembly lines in Fort Worth will come to a halt.
"Hopefully we can continue to build F-16's for other countries that will need them in the future," said Texas congressman Marc Veasey. "But the F-35 really is what's going to keep Lockheed viable for years to come"
Lockheed Martin will offer roughly 300 employees a retirement buyout option or an opportunity to transfer to a new position on the F-35 production line.
"I don't think people should be concerned about the transition," said Veasey during a news conference touting the F-35, considered the next generation of fighter jet.
Lockheed Martin blames a lack of demand for what they're calling a temporary gag in production.
The company will still attempt new sales and perform maintenance on the thousands of F-16 planes throughout the world. But for now, the DFW assembly lines will stop in 2017 for the first time since 1978, without a restart date in sight.
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