In the next budget, the Pentagon will request 33 fewer Lockheed F-35s, according to Bloomberg News.

 

Reuters, March 16 - According to Bloomberg News on Wednesday, the Pentagon will request 61 F-35 stealth jets from Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) in its next budget, which is 33 fewer than previously intended.

Requests for comment from Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon were not immediately returned by Reuters.

Before the bell, shares of the weapons manufacturer, whose main customer is the US government, were down 1.1 percent.

The F-35 is one of the most modern fighter aircraft in the world, and it is a highly sensitive export that is only sold to the US' closest allies.

President Joe Biden is poised to ask Congress for a defense budget of more than $770 billion for the next fiscal year, according to Reuters, as the Pentagon attempts to modernize the military.

The major defense contractors in the United States, such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N), and General Dynamics Corp, are projected to benefit from the budget.