Pentagon planning for possible supply chain disruptions from coronavirus

Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord told reporters today she learned "just this morning" that Lockheed Martin has directed all employees at an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter facility in Cameri, Italy, to remain home due to coronavirus concerns.

"Right now, it doesn't look like it’s affecting deliveries" of the F-35, Lord said.

Lockheed spokesman Brett Ashworth stressed that F-35 production in Fort Worth, TX, where the majority of F-35s are produced, “remains unaffected at this time by the coronavirus.”

“We are working with our customers and partners to mitigate any impacts to F-35 international [final assembly and check out] operations in Italy and Japan,” he said. “The health and safety of our employees remains our top priority. We advised employees to avoid travel to, through and from northern Italy in alignment with U.S. State Department guidance. Employees in Italy may telecommute as required.”

Additionally, Lord said a factory in Japan run by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries that produces Japanese aircraft will be closed for at least a week due to coronavirus concerns.

Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Mike Andrews provided an additional statement, saying the Defense Department is "fully engaged with the defense industrial base on all programs, including the F-35, and stands ready to respond when needed."

Andrews added that "there have been no impacts on the production line."

Lord also said she has a team working with a larger Pentagon task force to address various "what-if" scenarios related to coronavirus, including potential disruptions to the U.S. defense supply chain.

The task force, she said, is headed by Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security Ken Rapuano.

"We continue to look at a variety of things," she said.