R.I. has stake in F-35 Lightning program

Elected officials and others representing the region’s defense industry recently crowded around the cockpit of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II, waiting their turns to hop in the pilot’s seat, taxi the fighter jet down the runway and launch into the skies on a government mission – all without leaving the confines of the R.I. Department of Administration building, that is.
On May 9 officials from Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the multirole fighter jet, stopped in Providence to discuss the need for the fifth-generation fighter aircraft and how it contributes to Rhode Island’s economy. Part of a national public relations campaign, the event also presented an opportunity for those in attendance to get a feel for what’s it’s like to fly the finished product using Lockheed’s cockpit demonstrator. The demonstrator, modeled after the plane’s single-seat, single-engine setup, allows its users to take a virtual and interactive test flight while exploring the jet’s combat capabilities.
Currently, about 1,400 suppliers in 46 states and Puerto Rico provide the more than 20,000 components for the plane, which range from radar sensors and fuselage to nuts and bolts. Lockheed Martin, the project’s prime contractor, combines all of these components in its mile-long factory in Fort Worth, Texas, where the planes are manufactured.
In the Ocean State, six businesses supplying parts or assisting in the supply chain contribute directly to the F-35 program, including North Kingstown’s Hexagon Metrology, which Lockheed said manufactures a centrifuge lodge; Cranston’s AIM Specialty Materials USA, Geib Refining Corp. in Warwick and Banneker Industries in North Smithfield.
According to Lockheed, the program currently supports more than 50 direct and indirect jobs and has an economic impact of $3.2 million annually in the fall. Across New England, about 277 suppliers contribute, resulting in more than 18,000 direct and indirect jobs, and $1.2 billion in annual economic impact. Banneker Industries is a national supply-chain services provider with more than 20 years experience supporting aerospace and defense contractors. President and CEO Cheryl Snead, who was present at the event and excited to try out the cockpit demonstrator, thinks Rhode Island’s role in the project is good news for the state’s economy.
“I think it’s absolutely significant,” Snead said, explaining how her company, which employs about 60, works as an indirect supplier to coordinate efforts with other companies, such as BAE Systems and Raytheon, that also contribute to the F-35 program.
John Riendeau, director of business development for the R.I. Economic Development Corporation, agreed. He emphasized that the defense industry in Rhode Island is an important piece of the state’s economy, noting that it provides 18,000 local, direct jobs associated with military personnel, civilians and the private sector. The industry also includes more than 100 local companies and generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue.
Riendeau said the exact impact of the F-35 Lightning II program in Rhode Island is still to be determined, but that as Lockheed ramps up its production schedule, it’s possible that more local companies will be able to participate, which could result in additional jobs.
Bob D. DuLaney, manager for F-35 customer engagement for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., explained to a crowd of about 20 that much of the nation’s defense aircraft are aging and have been in service for decades.
“The requirement is real,” he said, adding that The Lightning – “a weapons system, not just an airplane” – is the world’s most advanced, multirole fighter jet.
The company last week said planned Pentagon furloughs for most of its 800,000 civilian employees could lead to delays in delivery of the F-35, according to Reuters. •

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