FORT WORTH, Texas, July 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A ceremony was held
today at Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], commemorating the official
roll out of the first two F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the Royal
Australian Air Force (RAAF).
"Today, we celebrate a milestone in the U.S.-Australia partnership, a partnership built on
strength, friendship, and technological innovation," said
Frank Kendall, U.S. Under Secretary
of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics. "We
join Australia, as one of our
original partners, to celebrate this roll out and the numerous
Australian contributions to the Joint Strike Fighter program. For
both our nations, this program represents an exponential leap in
capability on the cutting edge of technology—and an
integral component of our ongoing joint commitment to stability and
peace in the Asia-Pacific."
Joining Mr. Kendall at the ceremony, among various distinguished
guests in attendance, were Air Marshal Geoff Brown, Chief of RAAF; and Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin chairman,
president and CEO.
The F-35 Lightning II aircraft will provide the Royal Australian
Air Force with a transformational 5th generation fighter capability
and provides significant benefits to the Australian aerospace
industry, with more than $412 million
(USD) already contracted and up to $6
billion (USD) in expected manufacturing orders over the life
of the program.
"It's fitting that in the year Australia commemorates 100 years of military
aviation, we also mark the arrival of the most advanced fighter
ever developed," said Marillyn
Hewson, Lockheed Martin chairman, president and CEO. "The
F-35 Lightning II will lay the foundation for the next century of
Australia's military air
power."
The aircraft, known as AU-1 and AU-2, are scheduled to undergo
functional fuel system checks before being transported to the
flight line for ground and flight tests in the coming months. The
jets are scheduled to be delivered to the Royal Australian Air
Force later this year, and will be based at Luke Air Force Base,
Arizona, where they will be used
for Australian and partner country pilot training.
The F-35 Lightning II is the world's most advanced military
aircraft and for over a decade, the U.S. and our allies have
invested in developing this fifth-generation, international,
multirole fighter aircraft that will serve as a cornerstone of
global security in the 21st century.
Headquartered in Bethesda,
Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace
company that employs approximately 113,000 people worldwide and is
principally engaged in the research, design, development,
manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology
systems, products and services. The Corporation's net sales for
2013 were $45.4 billion.
Please visit our website: http:/www.f35.com
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company