Australian industry involvement in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program was a key focus of the recent visit to Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas by the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, the Hon. Greg Combet.

“Mr Combet stressed that while the Australian Government has yet to make a decision on the aircraft for its new air combat capability, Australia remains an enthusiastic development partner in the JSF Program and is serious about Australian industry participation in the Program,” said Mr Mike Lyons, Executive Director JSF Industry Team Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO).

“Mr Combet was keen to discuss with Lockheed Martin the challenges our companies face in the global JSF competition, and importantly, what more can be done to convert existing major opportunities for Australian industry on the Program into contracts.

“One of the exciting prospects we discussed is the potential for Australia to become a global supplier of titanium components for JSF and other programs,” Mr Lyons said.

Lockheed Martin has proposed that Australian companies participate in the development of new Direct Manufacturing (DM) techniques to reduce titanium machining costs. Because of its high strength to weight ratio, titanium is being used more and more by aerospace manufacturers for aircraft production.

Current procedures involve machining components from a solid titanium block which results in significant wastage. With the DM technique being developed, wastage is minimised by using electron beam deposition to produce a near net shape which is then only subject to final machining.

“Mr Combet invited a Lockheed team to visit Australia and pursue the initiative with Australian industry and the Government," said Mr Lyons.

Mr Combet’s visit followed up on aspects of the Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon’s discussions with Lockheed officials in Fort Worth earlier in July.