Australia ready for next phase of JSF

Posted on: Feb. 24th, 2006 || Source: theage.com.au | E-mail Article | Print Article

Australia has been told by a US aircraft manufacturer it will have to specify how many F-35 Joint Strike Fighters it wants and pay millions of dollars by the end of the year to remain a partner in the JSF program.

Lockheed Martin JSF general manager Tom Burbage said negotiations were now underway between Australia, the US and other partners on the next phase of the multi-billion-dollar program which will see the production of the first plane.

Mr Burbage said this agreement would not be a commitment to buy planes, but is a commitment to continue as a partner into the next phase.

"There is some revenue associated with sharing the additional costs," he said.

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