Tom Burbage, Lockheed’s F-35 VP, says partner countries are assessing their future needs just as the US Defense Department is doing with its Quadrennial Defense Review. And, he notes that the partners are “anxiously awaiting” the results of the QDR to see if the JSF will be delayed, reduced, or scrapped outright. It would be a blow to the allies if JSF is eliminated, he said. “They are counting on this airplane” for their future defense needs, Burbage asserted.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
