THE US DEPARTMENT of Defense (DoD) has briefed seven European nations, including Eurofighter partners Germany, Italy and Spain, as well as Australia and Canada on its Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) project. The UK is the only foreign partner in the JSF programme.
The DoD's JSF programme office provided the briefings aimed at kindling interest in international participation in the project.
The Pentagon will eliminate one of the three bidders: Boeing, Lockheed Martin and the McDonnell Douglas-led team involving Northrop Grumman and British Aerospace for the concept demonstration phase of the JSF programme in November.
International participation proposed by the DoD is at four levels of involvement, says Dave Wheaton, Lockheed Martin vice-president and JSF programme manager.
Full collaborative partners will each have to take a 10% stake on the programme, although this would allow them to "influence" the requirement. This is the level of participation the UK has taken in the project.
The short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the JSF is earmarked by the Royal Navy as a replacement for its BAe Sea Harrier F/A2.
Associate partners would have to commit to a 2% stake in the programme. This stake would offer a limited influence on both the requirements.
The third option being proposed, says Wheaton, is that of an "informed customer" entailing a 0.5% stake. This would provide access to programme information. The fourth would cover contractor relations between the prime contractor and foreign companies.
In the run-up to the selection on the concept-demonstrator phase, there is increasing speculation as to what impact the elimination of one of the bids will have.
One Washington source says that it is inevitable that the losing bidder will seek to join one of the winning teams, with the likely encouragement of the DoD.
Wheaton confirms that Lockheed Martin has already had "discussions with Bae". He adds that, were McDonnell Douglas to be eliminated, then BAe involvement in the Lockheed Martin bid would be a distinct possibility.
BAe industrial participation in at least one of the CD phase winners is almost assured, given the RN's interest in the STOVL JSF.
Boeing says that UK involvement in its JSF project has now reached "almost 15%" by value, according to Defense and Space president, Jerry King. UK companies involved include Dowty, GEC-Marconi and Rolls-Royce, although "-there would be a lot of interest in talking about a role for BAe if MDC does not get down-selected", he adds.
Dowty is supplying the undercarriage, GEC- Marconi is providing avionics, and R-R is developing lift-engine technology.
"We could look at additional involvement from the UK, as well as France, Italy and Germany," says King who adds that Dassault is a prime candidate.
Source: Flight International
