Canada Signs Onto JSF Program,
Is First Non-U.S./U.K. Participant

The Lockheed Martin-led X-35 Joint Strike Fighter team last month welcomed Canada to the program, and said this month that it's encouraged by a Dutch cabinet recommendation that the Netherlands sign on too.

Participation during the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase allows Canada "to influence elements of the JSF design," Lockheed noted.

"The move signals growing support for the JSF program, which was conceived as a global effort more than five years ago, and is expected to provide the backbone of the world's multirole fighter infrastructure for the next 30 to 40 years," the company said.
Also in the running for JSF program participation are Italy, Norway, Denmark and Turkey. Britain's BAE Systems is a program partner, as is the American Northrop Grumman.

Increased international participation is a "foundation" of the JSF program, said Dain Hancock, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics president, who is here at Changi this week.

"By joining the Systems Development and Demonstration phase, Canada strengthens the global nature of the program and further validates the concept of the X-35 as a highly interoperable, common defense asset for multiple allies," Hancock said. "This is exceedingly good news for our country, for the program and for the growing number of participants."

JSF GM Tom Burbage, a Lockheed Martin executive VP, said that increased participation in the JSF contributes to economies of scale and as such will make the new aircraft cheaper to buy and cheaper to maintain.

"Our 'best-value' approach means Canadian industry will not only join the Lockheed Martin industrial team, but will also contribute to maintaining the viability of the JSF program," Burbage said.

The JSF X-35 is a single-engine supersonic fighter designed to replace such aging aircraft as the A-10, F-14, AV-8B Harrier and older F-16s and F/A-18s.

The stealthy, multirole fighter is to be built in three versions: the X-35A for the U.S. Air Force, the short-takeoff/vertical landing X-35B for the U.S. Marines and UK's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and the larger-winged X-35C for the U.S. Navy.

Most international sales are expected to involve the X-35A conventional-takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) JSF variant.

By Rich Piellisch