Defence Minister Philip Dunne says F-35 'Great for Britain'
The aircraft, set to be the most expensive fighter jet in the world, has come under criticism by some over design issues, with fears ranging from the threat of it being shot down due to aft visibility problems, to concerns that the aircraft could explode if hit by lightning.
Speaking at a Royal United Services Institute meeting yesterday, Dunne said: "UK industry is responsible for manufacturing 15% by value of each and every F-35 aircraft," he said. "That's not just for those aircraft manufactured for UK defence but the entire global fleet.
"The UK's share of this production run alone will generate billions of pounds and tens of thousands of jobs for the British economy. To date, we estimate that almost £5bn of contracted work has been placed with the UK supply chain.
"From government's perspective the benefits are obvious. Our armed forces will be equipped with the best next generation jet fighter available, giving them the operational advantage they will need to protect our citizens for decades to come.
"The taxpayer gets value for money from the efficiencies that derive from international collaboration and the subsequent economies of scale.
"And our world leading defence industry benefits from its enduring involvement in a significant portion of the production work, creating jobs and promoting growth in our economy.
“That is why I believe the F-35 is ‘Great for Britain.’ And that is why this government remains so committed to the programme.”
