Denmark today officially became the third international participant in the Joint Strike Fighter program, joining the United Kingdom and Canada in the stealthy aircraft's decade-long development phase.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, a business area of Lockheed Martin Corporation , leads an international team that expects to build at least 3,000 JSFs for the United States and allied nations. Joining the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the program enables Denmark to influence elements of the JSF design, and positions Danish industry to bid for significant work on the program.

"We're very excited to bring Denmark into the JSF family, a move that clearly reinforces the international character of this program," said Tom Burbage, executive vice president and general manager of the Lockheed Martin JSF program. "We expect Danish industry to make crucial technical contributions to this aircraft, which is destined to be the backbone of our allied air forces for the next 30 to 40 years."

Since 1980, Denmark has purchased and operated 70 Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters. The F-16 is among the aircraft JSF is designed to replace after 2010.

Some of the countries currently considering participation in the JSF program are Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey.

The next-generation JSF is a stealthy (radar-evading), supersonic multi-role fighter designed to meet the U.S. government's requirements for a new generation of transformational weapons. The single-engine JSF will be manufactured in three versions: a conventional-takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) variant for the U.S. Air Force, an aircraft-carrier version (CV) for the U.S. Navy, and a short-takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) version for the U.S. Marine Corps. The United Kingdom is evaluating both the STOVL and CV versions. Most international interest is expected to focus on the CTOL model.

The cornerstone of JSF is affordability, achieved in large part through a very high level of common parts and systems across the three versions of the aircraft.

JSF is designed to supplant aging fighter inventories, including U.S. Air Force A-10s and F-16s, U.S. Navy F/A-18s, U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18s, and United Kingdom Harrier GR.7s and Sea Harriers.

Lockheed Martin is developing the JSF in conjunction with its principal partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE SYSTEMS. Two separate but interchangeable propulsion systems are under development by Pratt & Whitney and General Electric.

JSF X-35 demonstrator aircraft completed a highly successful flight-test program in August 2001, and the U.S. government awarded the JSF development contract to Lockheed Martin the following October.

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, JSF, F-117, C-5, C-27J, C-130, P-3, and U-2.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. is a unit of Lockheed Martin Corp., headquartered in Bethesda, Md. Lockheed Martin 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, photo and caption have been uploaded to the external website at the following URL: http://www.lmaeronautics.com/news/programnews/combat_air/x35/jsf_02/jsfpr020528.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