Lockheed nears US$37b deal to sell F-35 jets to 11 countries: sources

Paris

LOCKHEED Martin Corp is in the final stages of negotiating a deal worth more than US$37 billion to sell a record 440 F-35 fighter jets to a group of 11 nations including the United States, two people familiar with the talks said.

This would be the biggest deal yet for the stealthy F-35 jet, set to make its Paris Airshow debut this week. The sale represents a major shift in sales practices from annual purchases to more economic multi-year deals that lower the cost of each jet.