MOU for F-35 JSF

From Thornley Fallis, for Lockheed Martin:

Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States government today to participate in the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft program’s next phase, known as Production, Sustainment and Follow-on Development (PSFD).

Canada’s continued participation in the F-35 program, will enable the Canadian aerospace and defence industry to compete for up to CAD$8 billion in industrial participation opportunities over the next 20 years.

Already, Canada’s involvement in the first two phases of the program has resulted in 54 Canadian companies winning more than 150 contracts valued at approximately CAD$157 million.

“Canada’s highly skilled and globally competitive aerospace industry has been very much involved in the production of the F-35 Lightning II,” said Tom Burbage, Executive Vice President and General Manager of F-35 Lightning II Program Integration for Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT]. “We look forward to their continued 'best value' participation in the program throughout its life."

Canadian industry will have opportunities to compete in a variety of areas, including major structural assemblies, landing gear maintenance, advanced composites, high-speed machining, simulation and training, propulsion, and health and monitoring technologies. New opportunities will be identified as the program evolves.

The F-35 Lightning II program is a U.S.-led, multinational effort to build an affordable, multi-role, 5th generation, supersonic, stealth fighter. The F-35 is designed to replace a wide range of aircraft, including F-18s, F-16s, A-10s and Harriers.

In addition to the U.S., international participants include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and the United Kingdom. There are defined needs for more than 3000 aircraft over the 40-year program with an estimated value of more than USD$276 billion.

Canada has been an active partner in the F-35 program since 1997, participating in both the Concept Demonstration Phase and the System Development and Demonstration Phase. The Government of Canada has contributed USD$160 million to these first two phases, which allowed the Department of National Defence and Canadian industry to be part of a cutting-edge, international military program.

I've been meaning to bone up on the F-35, since I know next to nothing about it beyond the fact that it's one of two 5th generation fighters in the world (the F-22 is the other), and that it's designed to do some pretty serious air-to-ground work, with STO/VL capability. That, and apparently Canada was the first nation other than the U.S. to sign on to the project. Time for me to end that sketchiness, if we're getting closer to buying this platform.

First impression: I'm always suspicious of fast-movers being touted as effective ground-support aircraft, but I've been wrong before. Can't remember when, mind you, but I'm sure it's happened...

Update: Mark pointed me to both the CF backgrounder on our participation in this program to date, and to another member of the Anglosphere about to sign on.