The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) announced on 9 December a new initiative to support local companies gain access to international programmes to provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter aircraft.
The DoD said that under the ‘Joint Strike Fighter – Industry Support Program’ (JSF-ISP) the government will make available an initial AUD4 million (USD3 million) in grant funding to establish the scheme. As the programme matures, the government will look to provide additional funding, it said.
Australia has announced a new industry scheme to encourage local firms to engage with international projects to sustain and maintain Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. (US Air Force)
Commenting on the initiative, Australia’s Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds said, “The JSF-ISP sustainment opportunity will support Australian companies that have been successfully appointed by the US Department of Defense for component repair capability as part of the F-35 global support solution.”
The JSF-ISP initiative is expected to replace a similar support scheme that commenced in 2011. The government said that this scheme, named the ‘New Air Combat Capability – Industry Support Program’, has to date awarded 46 grants, worth more than AUD21 million (USD16 million), to 25 local companies.
According to the government, this funding has helped more than 50 Australian companies win contracts worth more than AUD2.7 billion in F-35 component production and sustainment contracts.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has ordered 72 F-35As, the first two of which arrived at RAAF Base Williamtown, north of Sydney, in December 2018. To date, Australia has taken delivery of about 30 F-35As and all 72 are expected to be fully operational by 2023.
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