The UK has cleared a major hurdle over its purchase of Lockheed martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) after years of dispute over the ability to support and maintain the aircraft in the UK.
Coming a day before the aircraft, officially dubbed the Lightning II, is due to make its maiden flight, UK defence minister Lord Drayson signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with US deputy secretary of defence Gordon England during a visit in Washington, DC today over the next phase of the project. The agreement guarantees "operational sovereignty" for the UK, Drayson says.
Operational sovereignty is defined as the UK having control over essential aspects of the aircraft so that it can be operated through life at the time of the UK’s choosing, says the Ministry of Defence. "We need to be able to integrate the JSF into the UK operating environment; operate, maintain, repair and upgrade the UK fleet to meet evolving through-life requirements; and certificate the aircraft as safe to fly," Drayson says.
Last week the House of Commons Defence Committee advised the MoD to draw up a 'plan B' with an alternate supplier of fighter jets selected in case the USA refused to concede technology transfer elemente essential to maintain its own fleet. Other partner nations have argued for such clearances and are likely to be bolstered by today's agreement, although the UK is the only Level One partner nation in the programme.
Lord Drayson said: “After an excellent meeting with Gordon England, I am delighted to be able to sign this MoU which will take the UK into the next phase of the JSF programme. I have always been clear that the UK would only sign if we were satisfied that we would have operational sovereignty over our aircraft. I have today received the necessary assurances from the US on technology transfer to allow me to sign the MoU.”
Source: FlightGlobal.com
