• The Pentagon has awarded Lockheed Martin a $177 million contract for three F-35 test jets.
• One jet in each F-35 variant will be delivered for flight science and test work.
• The new jets will support upgrade efforts and prevent capability gaps.
• Deliveries of new F-35s were halted for a year due to certification delays.

The expansion of the F-35 flight-science test fleet may indicate the Pentagon's efforts to accelerate upgrade efforts and prevent further delays. The new jets could support the certification process for the Block 4 configuration, which is currently five years behind schedule, and may help to reduce costs and improve the overall efficiency of the program.