Article Posted on : - Jun 22, 2010

The F-35 II Lightening fighter aircraft. A Lockheed photo

NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA (BNS): The Australian subsidiary of BAE Systems will provide support service to the F-35 Lightening II combat aircraft that Australia will procure from the US defence company Lockheed Martin.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems Australia “for future in-country support of the F-35 following the Australian Government’s approval to procure the first 14 of an expected 100 F-35 aircraft,” BAE said in a statement.

The company will provide readiness and sustainment support to the fifth-generation stealth fighters as per the agreement.

The F-35s are being developed to replace the existing fleet of fighter aircraft of nine NATO member countries. Lockheed Martin is building the new-generation fighters with its main industrial partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.