AEROSPACE

Lockheed Offers to Cut Price of F-16s: The company’s move underscores an aggressive new posture by defense contractors trying to survive amid dwindling Pentagon orders. Lockheed said its Ft. Worth, Tex., plant could build 12 to 24 F-16 jet fighters a year starting in 1997 for $20 million per plane, which the company said represents a savings of $3 million per plane. The offer follows a decision by Congress to shut down the F-16 line. But Lockheed officials cited Air Force documents indicating that 100 new F-16s will be needed as replacements over the next decade. Lockheed already has orders for 540 F-16s for delivery to the Pentagon and eight foreign countries through 1999.