Joint media release
- Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC
Defence and Lockheed Martin Australia have reached an agreement to ensure the efficient delivery of sustainment support for the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircrafts.
Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC, and Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Melissa Price MP, today announced the five-year $91 million agreement which will streamline operational support for Australia's F-35A aircraft.
Minister Reynolds said the support agreement for the logistics system consolidates existing arrangements provided through the United States F-35 Joint Program Office and into one Australian-managed contract with Lockheed Martin Australia.
"This is a significant milestone towards achieving initial operating capacity for the F-35A," Minister Reynolds said.
"It delivers a more responsive and cost-effective solution for key aspects of Australian F-35A maintenance management, and will create up to 60 jobs, in the Canberra, Adelaide, Hunter and Katherine regions."
Minister Price said the signing of the agreement highlighted the Morrison Government's commitment to creating more Australian jobs in the JSF program.
"There are more than 50 Australian companies delivering parts fitted to every JSF globally, sharing $1.3 billion in work," Minister Price said.
"This number is expected to almost double to $2 billion by 2023 and employ 5,000 people across Australia."
The F-35A Autonomic Logistics Information System is an off-board information system that provides fault diagnosis, maintenance management, supply support, and mission planning and training management.
