MARK DODD
AUSTRALIAN companies stand to earn $4.5 billion over the life of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, a parliamentary defence committee heard last night.
Charles Burbage, executive vice-president of Lockheed Martin and general manager for program integration for the F-35, testified that 27 local companies stood to share in as much as $4.5bn in support contracts.
So far about $300 million had been paid to local companies engaged in the production of a variety of JSF parts including the vertical tail, advanced composites, engine parts and weapons pylons, Mr Burbage said.
A JSF pilot training and servicing facility would also be built in Australia.
"There will be a training centre here," he said.
"That training centre can train Australian pilots or it can be made available to train other pilots if Australia wishes to do that.
"If there are other (JSF) aeroplanes operating in the region they can get maintenance done at these facilities here."
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