The countdown has started for British participation in the multi-billion-dollar US Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) project, with just over two months to go before the Pentagon chooses the two contenders to develop a demonstrator aircraft.
BAe has pinned its colours to the McDonnell Douglas/Northrop Grumman bid and hopes to secure a 10-20% stake in the project to build 3,000 strike aircraft for the USAF, US Navy, US Marines and Royal Navy.
The latter two services require a short take off and vertical landing (STOVL) version. BAe are in a "partnership relationship" with its American allies, and its share in the project is not determined by how many aircraft the UK MoD eventually orders, says Mike Rouse, BAe's Military Aircraft Division managing director.
The JSF project is the next significant world combat aircraft procurement and looks set to spark a major shake-up in the military aviation industry. Rouse describes the requirement as "huge" and other commentators estimate total production could run to 5,000 airframes.
On 7 November, the Pentagon is to award $1.1 billion contracts to two of the current three bidders, with Lockheed Martin and Boeing completing the line-up. The exact BAe involvement in the project will depend on a number of factors, says Rouse. "We've got a major role. We have a heavy involvement with STOVL technology with McDonnell Douglas."
Source: Flight Daily News
