The world's most advanced single-engine fighter will rely on a quartet of small businesses to play key roles in the aircraft's development. The companies are among many small firms expected to participate in the Joint Strike Fighter program.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, a business area of Lockheed Martin Corporation , announced Friday (April 19) that the following companies will provide high-speed and conventional machining for large aluminum and aluminum-lithium components for JSF: Progressive, Inc., of Arlington, Texas; H.M. Dunn Co. Inc. of Euless, Texas; and Thayer Aerospace- St. Louis, Mo.

Avionics Specialties Inc. of Charlottesville, Va., will supply the JSF's air data system, which enables the measurement of altitude, airspeed, climb rate and other information related to the air environment surrounding the aircraft.

To gain JSF work on the highly competitive JSF program, suppliers must prove that they offer "best value," a combination of quality, affordability and technical capability.

"Small businesses deserve a prominent place on the JSF program, and today we reconfirm our commitment to meet our specific small-business goals," said Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and JSF program general manager. "Our experience demonstrates that small businesses are innovative, creative and competitive. Harvesting the potential of small business can result in lower development, production and ownership costs, and enhanced affordability for the JSF program."

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is forming a JSF Team Small Business Executive Steering Group to establish overall policy and oversight, as well as a Small Business Team Task Force to implement the policy. A full-time Small Business administrator, Mario Ramirez, will work within the team to ensure continued development and implementation of initiatives and to enable the team to maintain progress toward stated goals.

JSF program goals include a significant work share for a combination of small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses, historically underutilized businesses, veteran-owned businesses and disabled-veteran businesses.

The JSF is a stealthy, supersonic multirole fighter designed to replace a wide range of aging fighter and strike aircraft. Three variants derived from a common design will ensure JSF meets the needs of each specific service while staying within strict affordability targets. Lockheed Martin is developing the JSF in conjunction with its principal partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE SYSTEMS.

Among the aircraft JSF will replace are the A-10, AV-8 Harrier, F-16 and F/A-18.

Avionics Specialties Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aerosonic Corp. of Clearwater, Fla., and is a leading supplier of avionics instrumentation and aircraft engine monitoring equipment. Located in Charlottesville, Va., the facilities and 100-plus employees provide state-of-the-art manufacturing, engineering and marketing support.

Progressive Inc. specializes in profile milling of complex aluminum and titanium parts used in the manufacture of military and commercial aircraft. The company was founded in 1971 with the purchase of equipment from a small two-man shop in Arlington, Texas. In 1983, Progressive purchased the assets of a competing company and created a single corporation with 100 employees.

H.M. Dunn Co. Inc. is a privately held engineering and manufacturing company with a progressive machine shop featuring a diverse assortment of 3-, 4- and 5-axis CNC machines specializing in serving the commercial and military aerospace industry. Over the past 29 years, the company has grown from a 4,800-square-foot building to the current 62,000-square-foot facility.

Thayer Aerospace-St. Louis has more than a 55-year legacy of providing full-service precision machining to the aerospace industry. Formerly known as Advance Tool & Die, a two-person operation originated in Herman, Mo., in 1947 as a tool designer and builder for the aerospace industry. In 1952, as the business began to grow, the company moved its operation just west of downtown St. Louis. Thayer Aerospace-St. Louis has grown into a full-service precision machining supplier specializing in complex 5-axis components.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a leader in the design, development, systems integration, production and support of advanced military aircraft and related technologies. Its customers include the military services of the United States and allied countries throughout the world. Products include the F-16, F-22, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, F-117, C-5, C-27J, C-130, P-3 and U-2.

Lockheed Martin Corp., headquartered in Bethesda, Md., is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. Employing about 125,000 people worldwide, Lockheed Martin had 2001 sales of $24 billion.

The press release and photo has been uploaded to the external website at the following URL: http://www.lmaeronautics.com/news/programnews/combat_air/x35/jsf_02/jsfpr020419.html

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

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

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company