Business representatives from Canada, Denmark, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway and Turkey visited Fort Worth today to prospect for potential roles in the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter program.

Some 27 major JSF suppliers from the United States and United Kingdom are conducting private, one-on-one meetings with the international executives to investigate sub-tier supplier participation in JSF. The program is projected to be one of the largest defense procurements in history. The discussions are the main focus of the Lockheed Martin JSF International Business Conference, which runs for three days. Nearly 200 people from more than 100 companies are participating in the event.

"Deep international participation in JSF was envisioned from the very start, and this conference is evidence that we're right on track," said Martin Taylor, director of subcontract management for the Lockheed Martin JSF program. "Our JSF team already is an international group, and that global participation will continue to build as the program evolves."

Taylor is an example of the JSF program's intercontinental profile. A citizen of Great Britain, he is employed by the U.K.'s BAE SYSTEMS, which, along with Northrop Grumman, is the key strategic partner on the Lockheed Martin JSF team.

BAE SYSTEMS is among a large group of U.K.-based companies already involved in the Lockheed Martin JSF. Businesses from The Netherlands and Italy also will supply high-tech systems and materials. Other countries' industries are expected to join the team in coming months.

"We expect this conference will help promote the process of expanding international participation in the program," Taylor said.

JSF, a next-generation, supersonic stealth fighter, is designed to replace aging fighter aircraft in the U.S. and U.K., including the A-10, F-14, F-16, F/A-18 and Harrier. Specific JSF versions are being tailored for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Royal Air Force/Royal Navy. Other allied nations also have signaled their interest in the aircraft.

Flight testing of Lockheed Martin's Air Force and Navy JSF demonstrators, the X-35A and X-35C, have successfully concluded. Testing of the short-takeoff/vertical landing X-35B, designed to meet Marine Corps and Royal Air Force/Royal Navy requirements, is proceeding on schedule.

Lockheed Martin , in partnership with Northrop Grumman and BAE SYSTEMS, is in competition to build the JSF for the United States and United Kingdom. Government selection of a single contractor for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase is set for fall 2001.

For more information on the JSF and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, visit: http://www.lmaeronautics.com/.

For government information on the Joint Strike Fighter program, visit http://www.jast.mil/.

For information on Lockheed Martin Corporation, visit: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company