Aircraft
British Have Premier Industrial Position on F-35
The major British suppliers to the F-35 program are shown here. But there are many others acting as subcontractors – a total of 500 companies are involved, according to Lockheed Martin (Graphic: Lockheed Martin)
The major British suppliers to the F-35 program are shown here. But there are many others acting as subcontractors – a total of 500 companies are involved, according to Lockheed Martin (Graphic: Lockheed Martin)

The premier position of the UK aerospace industry on the Lockheed Martin F-35 program was highlighted by a briefing and presentation at the Defence Security and Equipment International (DSEI) show in London this week. Some 500 British companies are involved in producing “15 percent of each of the 3,100 F-35s that will be built,” according to Steve O’Bryan, vice president for F-35 program integration at Lockheed Martin. The company has calculated that the program will secure 24,000 high-technology jobs in the UK through 2039.