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| F-35 Lightning II didn't make the Farnborough Airshow |
By AARON MEHTA
FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND — The United States military-industrial complex, battered by budget cuts and drops in domestic procurement, made it clear at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow that it is targeting the world market as never before.
There were more than 230 US exhibitors at the show, ranging from major companies such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing down to producers of small avionics. The American presence was impossible to avoid, with large “International US Pavilion” signs hanging from many booths.
More subtle, but perhaps more important, was the presence of top US government officials, in what attendees said were unusually high levels compared to past events.
Among those who appeared at the show: Frank Kendall, the Pentagon’s acquisition chief; US Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James; Sean Stackley and William LaPlante, the acquisition heads of the Navy and Air Force, respectively; and Gen. Frank Gorenc, commander of US Air Force Europe and Africa.
Certainly some of the US presence was driven by the expected international debut of the F-35 joint strike fighter at the show, an appearance that ultimately was canceled. But it was also a coordinated attempt by the Pentagon and other government entities to show support for US industry.
Read the full story at DefenseNews