Joint Strike Fighter
Jordan University
Dr Zubi Al Zubi
The Joint Strike Fighter:
Challenges, Reality
And Decisions Ahead
Abstract. The Joint Strike Fighter F-35 is presumably a state-of-the-art jet fighter and surely a challenging international cooperation project. The latter intertwines the politics, the industrial policies and the military alliances of a dozen countries. Of course, the US leads the way and keeps its control on every stage of this ambitious blueprint, where different partners, whether allies or clients, have been selected on the basis of their “relationship” with America and their financial contribution (Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 partners) to the JSF project. The purpose of this article is to highlight the flaws of this industrial cooperation, the increasing costs of the JSF, and a certain arrogance shown by
Washington in dealing with its main partners. Even its historical WWII ally, the
UK, lamented this behavior and thought of different alternatives to equip its new aircraft carrier(s) and the Royal Air Force with cheaper and more British- industry friendly airplanes or, maybe, the CTOL version only. Italy’s national interest is also at stake and it is striving to obtain more concessions on the weapon systems or the assembly line in conjunction with London’s requests vis-à-vis the US stubbornness to maintain its industrial and military supremacy.
Keywords: Air Force; Military Industry; EU-US Relations.
INTRODUCTION
The F-35 Lightning II is a multipurpose, stealth, single-seat, and single-engine, combat aircraft. At present, the latter’s manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, presents its F-22 and F-35 as the only “fifth-generation” fighter-bombers
(http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f35/f-35-capabilities.html;All
* This Research is conducted by the Following Student of University of Jordan:
Sanad A Bushnaq
1
Jordan University
websites last consulted on Nov 11, 2012). The state-of-the-art airplane must
Dr Zubi Al Zubi
The Joint Strike Fighter:
Challenges, Reality
And Decisions Ahead
Abstract. The Joint Strike Fighter F-35 is presumably a state-of-the-art jet fighter and surely a challenging international cooperation project. The latter intertwines the politics, the industrial policies and the military alliances of a dozen countries. Of course, the US leads the way and keeps its control on every stage of this ambitious blueprint, where different partners, whether allies or clients, have been selected on the basis of their “relationship” with America and their financial contribution (Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 partners) to the JSF project. The purpose of this article is to highlight the flaws of this industrial cooperation, the increasing costs of the JSF, and a certain arrogance shown by
Washington in dealing with its main partners. Even its historical WWII ally, the
UK, lamented this behavior and thought of different alternatives to equip its new aircraft carrier(s) and the Royal Air Force with cheaper and more British- industry friendly airplanes or, maybe, the CTOL version only. Italy’s national interest is also at stake and it is striving to obtain more concessions on the weapon systems or the assembly line in conjunction with London’s requests vis-à-vis the US stubbornness to maintain its industrial and military supremacy.
Keywords: Air Force; Military Industry; EU-US Relations.
INTRODUCTION
The F-35 Lightning II is a multipurpose, stealth, single-seat, and single-engine, combat aircraft. At present, the latter’s manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, presents its F-22 and F-35 as the only “fifth-generation” fighter-bombers
(http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f35/f-35-capabilities.html;All
* This Research is conducted by the Following Student of University of Jordan:
Sanad A Bushnaq
1
Jordan University
websites last consulted on Nov 11, 2012). The state-of-the-art airplane must
Bibliography: Burk, K., Old World, New World: The Story of Britain and America, London, Little, Brown, 2007). http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f35/f-35-capabilities.html (all websites last consulted on May 11, 2011).