The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program added a new international partner today when Norway officially joined the JSF's System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase.

Becoming a part of the SDD phase qualifies Norwegian industry to bid for work on the program, and enables Norway to influence the F-35's design and mission.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, a business area of Lockheed Martin Corporation , is teamed with Northrop Grumman , BAE SYSTEMS and an international group that anticipates building at least 3,000 F- 35s for the United States and allied nations.

"Norway is a valued ally with an astute technical capability that will benefit both the F-35 program and future pilots who fly the aircraft," said Tom Burbage, executive vice president and general manager of the Lockheed Martin JSF program. "With five international partners now on board, and more expected, this program is clearly fulfilling its promise of focusing the resources of multiple nations on a monumentally important defense capability."

The United Kingdom, the first non-U.S. participant in F-35 SDD, has been followed by Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. Other countries evaluating participation in the F-35 program include Italy and Turkey.

Since 1980, Norway has purchased and operated 74 Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters. The F-16 is among the aircraft the F-35 is designed to replace after 2010.

The next-generation F-35 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 F-35 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 cornerstone of the F-35 is affordability, achieved in large part through a very high level of common parts and systems across the three versions of the aircraft. Operational and support costs are forecast to be about half those of current-generation fighters.

The F-35 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 F-35 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. The U.S. government awarded the F-35 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, F-35 JSF, F-117, C-5, C-27J, C-130, C-130J, P-3, S-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.

High and low-resolution photos including caption will be available after 11 a.m. central time by accessing the link below:

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company -- http://www.lmaeronautics.com/

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

MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here
http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X43544386

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company