WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A Lockheed Martin (NYSE:
LMT) Joint Strike Fighter executive said today that the Lockheed Martin
F-35 Lightning II is living up to the originally conceived ideal of a
tri-service combat aircraft that leverages stealth technology, introduces
multi-service interoperability, achieves economies of scale to drive down
costs and strengthens important international alliances.
Tom Burbage, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Company and general manager of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program
Integration, reviewed the F-35 operational requirement and provided his
thoughts on the game-changing technologies that are ensuring the delivery
of dramatic improvements in fighter capability envisioned when the program
was conceived more than a decade ago.
"The F-35 is designed to satisfy a very challenging operational
requirement -- to go deep into enemy territory against the most lethal
surface-to-air missile threats. The aircraft is also designed to destroy
targets through any weather while outnumbered by the most advanced
current-generation fighters equipped with highly sophisticated air-to-air
missiles," Burbage said. "The F-35 can perform that mission from any base
and at a lower cost than legacy programs. It's a daunting expectation but
we are on the way to fulfilling it."
The intent of the program was to leverage recent major national
investments in technology, introduce true service interoperability and
achieve economies of commonality and scale as legacy combat aircraft fleets
were replaced, according to Burbage.
In addition to its strategic military importance, the F-35's integrated
global production structure will promote worldwide allied collaboration and
significant maturation of the global industrial base.
"The ongoing National Security strategy to require coalition based
operations had also exposed significant capability gaps between U.S. and
allied forces equipment," said Burbage. "To address these gaps, a decision
was made to allow participation by selected nations in the development and
procurement of the JSF. The sharing of the technology capability with
allied nations implies that future coalition combat operations will be more
synergistic and much less expensive from a logistics standpoint."
Drawing upon global supply resources and strategically positioning
parts and services around the world enable our allies to expand their local
economies. The F-35 will strengthen international relationships and fortify
political ties among the United States and its allies.
The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter.
Three F-35 variants derive from a common design. Developed together, they
use the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide. The fighter will replace
at least 13 types of aircraft for 11 nations initially, making the
Lightning II the most cost-effective fighter program in history. Two F-35s
have entered flight test, two are in ground test and 17 are in various
stages of assembly, including the first two production-model jets scheduled
for delivery to the U.S. Air Force in 2010.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security
company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally
engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and
sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The
corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.
F-35 and Lightning II are trademarks of Lockheed Martin Corporation.
For additional information, visit our Web site:
http://www.lockheedmartin.com
SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.lockheedmartin.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/117281.html/
CONTACT:
John R. Kent of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Company, +1-817-763-3980, john.r.kent@lmco.com
|
