FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 12, 2004
CONTACT: Kevin Schweers
SENATOR HUTCHISON CELEBRATES FIRST STEP FOR JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER
Next Generation Jet Will Serve U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and Allied Defense Forces
FORT WORTH, TX -- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison today helped mark the start of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft's assembly operation at the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth.
"Today marks a major step toward a more advanced military, as well as a great day for Texas," said Sen. Hutchison, a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. "The Joint Strike Fighter will provide our armed services new capabilities to better protect our national interests, and Texas will benefit greatly from serving as the home base for its assembly."
Sen. Hutchison celebrated the facility's work on the first forward fuselage piece, which will be included in the initial JSF test plane. The assembly represents the beginning of the process to complete the first JSF. Full assembly will take place at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth facility in May 2005, and test flights are scheduled to begin in 2006.
Sen. Hutchison is a long time supporter of the project. When the Department of Defense started the competition for the newest fighter plane, years ago, Sen. Hutchison asked the CEO of Lockheed to build it in Fort Worth, if they won the competition. Through succeeding CEOs the commitment was kept and today is another milestone in the partnership of Lockheed and Texas. This year she helped secure $4.6 billion for the JSF in the Defense Authorization Act of 2005, which would bring the program's three-year total to more than $12 billion. In a show of her support, Sen. Hutchison signed the part, which will be on the interior of the first completed test plane.
Over the 40 year project, JSF is expected to create almost 32,000 jobs and $2.5 billion in revenue for Texas. It will also bring $400 million in capital for the plant, the largest increase in its 62 years of operation. "This program has had a tremendous impact on the Texas economy. It will create jobs and contribute billions to our state for years to come," Sen. Hutchison said.
Lockheed Martin leads the JSF team that includes Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as program partners. The team focuses on multi-service use and improved affordability in their low-risk fighter design. The production of the JSF is a combined effort between the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and both the British Royal Navy and Air Force.
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