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Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price has announced that she will head to the US to lobby for increased Australian industry participation in the global F-35 Joint Strike Fighter supply chain.
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Seeking to take advantage of additional work being reallocated from Turkish suppliers following Turkey’s suspension from the US$1 trillion defence program, Minister Price is seeking to capitalise on the existing Australian participation in the program.
Minister Price said, "I will highlight Australia’s suitability and capability to perform additional work. This includes advocating for the 11 companies identified by the Department of Defence as having the capability to take on some of the work Turkish suppliers were undertaking in the program."
As part of the lobbying effort, Minister Price will meet Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Ellen Lord to discuss current and future Australian industry involvement in F-35 production.
Additionally, Minister Price will meet with key industry representatives from Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to discuss further Australian industry engagement and participation in the global supply chain and production cycle of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
"I will meet with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman representatives to see the integration of Australian manufactured components in US supply chains, and discuss options for more sustainment of current maritime platforms to support operational readiness in the region," Minister Price elaborated.
The F-35 Program will deliver fifth-generation air combat capability for Australia, with more than 50 Australian businesses supplying parts fitted to every Joint Strike Fighter globally. By 2023, Australian industry production work will exceed $2 billion and create up to 5,000 new jobs.
Minister Price added, "As a key part of my visit I will also hold a roundtable for Australian businesses to share their experiences of working in the US, with a focus on understanding barriers to market entry. My visit supports and contributes to the next 100 years of co-operation between Australia and the US, in which our defence industrial relationship will continue to play a crucial role.
"At the meeting I will advocate for further industrial base integration by highlighting what Australian defence industry has to offer to new and existing programs, like the F-35 and Triton."
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is billed as a catalyst for the fifth-generation revolution, changing the face and capability of the Royal Australian Air Force and the wider Australian Defence Force.
For the RAAF, the F-35A's combination of full-spectrum low-observable stealth coatings and materials, advanced radar-dispersing shaping, network-centric sensor and communications suites – combined with a lethal strike capability – means the aircraft will be the ultimate force-multiplying, air-combat platform.
The F-35A – the variant chosen by the RAAF – will have a projected life of 30 years in service.
Ten nations are currently flying F-35s, including the US, UK, Italy, Norway, Israel and Japan. The first of Australia’s F-35A aircraft are now based on home soil after a period of training and development at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, plus an epic Pacific Ocean crossing in December 2018.
Over the coming years, Australia will purchase 72 of the advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft as part of the $17 billion AIR 6000 Phase 2A/B program – which is aimed at replacing the ageing F/A-18A/B Classic Hornets that have been in service with the RAAF since 1985.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
