Lockheed aims to deliver 36 jets in 2013 despite bad weather

Reuters
Workers can be seen on the moving line and forward fuselage assembly areas for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Lockheed Martin Corp's factory located in Fort Worth, Texas in this October 13, 2011 handout photo provided by Lockheed Martin. REUTERS/Lockheed Martin/Randy A. Crites/Handout

FORT WORTH, Texas (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp still expects to deliver 36 F-35 fighter jets from its facility in Fort Worth, Texas, this year despite a five-day halt in flights due to bad weather this week, the company's F-35 program manager said on Friday. Lorraine Martin, executive vice president and F-35 general manager, said 2013 has been a transformative year for the program, marking the beginning of pilot and maintainer training, continued reduction in production costs, software, weapons testing and other technical issues. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)