{"id":82662,"date":"2020-03-10T16:44:06","date_gmt":"2020-03-10T16:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/03\/10\/f-35-work-goes-on-in-italy-despite-coronavirus-lockdown\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:20:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:20:46","slug":"f-35-work-goes-on-in-italy-despite-coronavirus-lockdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/2020\/03\/10\/f-35-work-goes-on-in-italy-despite-coronavirus-lockdown\/","title":{"rendered":"F-35 work continues in Italy despite coronavirus lockdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2015 Italy\u2019s nationwide lockdown in response to the new coronavirus has not affected the production of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter parts in northern Italy<\/a>, prime contractor Lockheed Martin said Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the COVID-19 virus, believed to have originated in China, has sparked emergency measures worldwide, the Pentagon is monitoring potential impacts on its defense industry supply chains \u2015 particularly the F-35, which relies upon a uniquely global network of parts suppliers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist told Congress Tuesday that \u201cso far, there has been little disruption to date, but if this thing continues and expands, then we potentially see some issues.\u201d Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord has been tapped to track potential defense-industrial base problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLuckily we do not depend on very much that comes out of China because of the way the Department of Defense is structured, but we are concerned as it spreads to other countries, allies and partners, and what the effect of technology and production disruptions would be,\u201d Norquist said. \u201cFor example, there is an F-35 facility in Europe, so the question is: \u2018Do those production schedules stay on time?\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t