Company Commissioned Artists For Gallery-Type Presentation

Lockheed Martin added a bit of drama to its unveiling of its next-generation fighter jet at this week's Paris Air Show. The company commissioned 10 artists from all over the world to showcase the F-35 Lighting II in paintings.

The multibillion dollar fighter aircraft was portrayed in "Artistry in the Skies: F-35 Lightning II on Exhibit" that captured the F-35 in some of the world's most notable and culturally important destinations in each of the Joint Strike Fighter program's participant countries, said the company.

"Imagine the unique partnership this incredible program brings together, both militarily and industrially, across nine sovereign nations stretching from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean, across the Balkans, through the Americas and into the Southern Pacific," said Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager of F-35 program integration.

"This exhibit depicts the F-35 in each of the Joint Strike Fighter program partner countries and launches an international effort to highlight the great benefits of global partnership, technological innovation and design and the unique blending of cultures and requirements that has created this benchmark for true global cooperation."

It is an ambitious program, to be sure, and not only in terms of money. The F-35 is the first military aircraft to be produced by an international coalition of eight nations to design, finance, build and sell the jet. This required sensitive information sharing, investing large amounts of capital and working together for the greater good.

A lone F-35 has actually been built so far, and 13 more are scheduled this year in spite of concerns about the increasing costs. The estimates of its eventual cost top $600 billion, according to the International Herald Tribune.

While there is some concern the program is coming in slightly over-budget ($31.6 billion) is still facing technical challenges, will need about $347 billion more to operate and support once they're done and is a bit behind schedule, the upper brass remain supportive.

"We're well on our way," US Air Force Brigadier General Charles Davis said. "And we will grow."

According to Alexandra Ashbourne, of Ashbourne Strategic Consulting, in London, which specializes in military contractors, said optimism is warranted and "the program is looking rosier than it has been in a while."

"It had been running late," she said. "And there were a number of other issues involving technology transfers. But these concerns seem to have been allayed in the last few months."

Lockheed says the F-35 is actually designed to be affordable so that not only nations that are part of the development coalition can afford them, but so can ones that are not. The international partnership stipulated that Lockheed do a global search for the best technologies and the most efficient production processes for the jet.

To date, the international partners, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, Canada, Australia and Denmark, have said they will purchase 600 to 700 of the aircraft, with a price tag of around $75 million each for a basic model and up to $90 million for more advanced versions. The Pentagon wants 2,458 which it will be divide among the services with the Air Force getting the lion's share at 1,763. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2010, according to the Tribune.

But a squabble has already erupted between the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps over the short takeoff and vertical lift (STOVL) version that would go to the Marines. DefenseNews said it obtained memos that indicated the navy, which oversees the Marine budget, wants that version scrapped from the plan because it's more expensive and technically complicated than other versions.

"The Marines want a fighter that can land anywhere," said Loren Thompson, a military analyst at the Lexington Institute.

But, for now, the F-35 is being viewed in its best possible light, untainted by political goings on, at its exhibit at the Paris air show.

"The exhibit symbolizes the multi-national dimension of the program including the current partner countries and all those who will fly the aircraft in the future," said Burbage.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com