UK suppliers look to $100bn work from Joint Strike Fighter

BRITAIN COULD win military aircraft work worth $100bn, safeguarding at least 20,000 defence jobs, if a consortium including British Aerospace is selected to build the Joint Strike Fighter for the US and UK armed forces.

The programme for up to 6,000 aircraft is worth an estimated $500bn - making it the biggest military procurement project in history - and some estimates put the value as high as $1 trillion.

BAe, which has teamed up with Lockheed Martin of the US as prime contractor, will get between 10 and 14 per cent of the programme. But together with other UK defence suppliers such as Marconi, Smiths Industries, Rolls- Royce and Flight Refuelling, Britain's workshare could rise to around 20 per cent.

The US and UK armed forces have a requirement for 3,000 JSF aircraft. The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force plan to take 150 to replace their existing Sea Harriers and GR7 strike aircraft. A decision on whether Britain will go ahead with its JSF order is due at the end of next year but BAe said that even if the Ministry of Defence chose not to buy the aircraft, its workshare would not be affected.

The export market is put at a further 2,000 to 3,000 aircraft, with Holland, Denmark, Norway, Canada and Italy all regarded as potential markets.

The Lockheed Martin/BAe/ Northrop Grumman consortium is in competition with Boeing for the JSF programme. Even if Boeing wins the contest, BAe is likely to emerge as a major sub-contractor.

The JSF will cost $30m each and is said to be twice as lethal as existing fighter aircraft but the same price as the US F-16. The successful bidder is due to be selected in spring 2001. Full production would begin in 2006 and the JSF would enter service with the US AirForce and Marine Corps in 2008 and with the RAF and Royal Navy two to three years later.

Britain has so far contributed $200m towards the cost of developing a prototype JSF. The aircraft will incorporate revolutionary engine technology enabling it to switch instantly from Harrier-type hover mode to supersonic speed.