As the home of eight presidents and the oldest legislature in the Western Hemisphere,
Virginia is famous for forging American democracy. With a proud military history dating backto George Washington and a current role as the home to 27 military bases, Virginia continues to play a leading part in defending our democracy in the 21st century.
Virginians today should be concerned about our country’s response to urgent challenges
to our national and economic security. By fully funding the military’s newest and most advanced stealth jet fighter, the F-35, Congress can ensure that the United States and its allies enjoy aircombat superiority for decades to come and help build a highly skilled workforce necessary to
support the high-tech aerospace jobs the F-35 program will bring to Virginia and 44 other states throughout the nation.
With 26 supplier locations throughout Virginia, the F-35 generates $56.9 million in direct and indirect economic impact to the state, supporting more than 800 jobs. Moreover, when the Navy decides to replace the older F-18 Hornets currently based at Naval Air Station Oceana, the F-35 will be their multirole fighter of choice. Naval Air Station Oceana directly employs 10,010 workers, while indirectly supporting another 15,275 jobs and generating nearly $2.5 billion in
economic activity.
Replacing our current fleet of aging multirole fighter jets with the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter will give our war fighters a platform capable of projecting air power and supporting our ground forces well into the 21st century. Using next-generation technologies, the F-35 will provide the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps with a family of interoperable stealth fighters capable of operating across the spectrum of air combat operations. The three F-35
variants provide combatant commanders with unforeseen versatility, allowing flight operations from conventional runways, aircraft carriers or austere locations.
Potential aggressors are hard at work developing their own next-generation fighter aircraft. The United States needs to expeditiously follow through with the F-35 program of record to meet the national security challenges of a changing world.
The stealthy design, advanced integrated sensor package and aerodynamic performance of the F-35 will yield combat effectiveness well beyond the capabilities of earlier generation fighters. The F-35 will greatly enhance the ability of combatant commanders to find and attack highly defended targets that are unreachable by today’s legacy multirole fighter force. At the same time, the reduced logistical support required for the F-35 will put fewer support assets at
risk and reduce our operating footprint in deployed locations.
The F-35 program is essential to maintaining American alliances and promoting American exports. Eight partner countries – the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Turkey – have invested over $4.5 billion in F-35 development and plan to buy 700 F-35 aircraft, with the UK alone preparing to purchase 138
aircraft. Thus, the F-35 program will contribute enormously to the competitiveness of the US aerospace industry – one of the few sectors in which the US economy enjoys a trade surplus.
In the midst of more than eight percent unemployment, the F-35 supports a broad industrial base, with more than 1,350 suppliers in 45 states, including Virginia. The F-35 program will contribute to more than 133,000 direct and indirect US jobs and more than $17.7 billion in economic activity in 2012.
From promoting national security and strengthening alliances to boosting the economy,the nation needs the F-35. Now, as throughout our history, Virginia can help the nation meet the military and economic challenges of our times.
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