Getting the Joint Strike Fighter off the ground

Posted on: Apr. 6th, 2006 || Source: isn.ethz.ch | E-mail Article | Print Article

Getting the Joint Strike Fighter off the ground

The US military is the proud owner of a fleet of military fighter aircraft that is, according to some in the industry, slowly becoming out of date.

According to reports, the average age of a fleet, depending on the branch, runs from seven and a half to 13 years. Retirement age for a warplane can hover around 22 years.

The US Department of Defense (DOD) touts the F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), as an aircraft that will move the military’s aging fleet up to today’s standards.

Since the JSF program started in 1996, Congress has approved nearly US$25 billion for development, making the JSF the most expensive aircraft acquisition initiative to date.

Aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin is producing the fighter. The JSF project is special in that it is being funded by a consortium of nations. The US and Britain are the main customers. Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Australia, Norway, Denmark, and Canada are also partially funding the project. This arrangement should help offset the high cost of development.

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