Increasing GKN Involvement in the JSF Program

Australian Department of Defense, Australian aerospace design capacity is experiencing a significant ‘brain gain’ from local industry’s involvement in high value work on the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program. 
 
With up to 200 engineers working on the JSF, Melbourne-based GKN Aerospace Engineering Services has designed a substantial part of the JSF airframe. GKN is the largest airframe design engineering contributor to the JSF Program outside the three international prime contractors – Lockheed Martin, BAE SYSTEMS and Northrop Grumman. 
 
Since its first JSF contract in June 2003 – the first awarded to an Australian company – GKN has designed some 3000 JSF parts and provided over one million design man hours to the Program. 
 
GKN Director and General Manager Mr Tony Quick said: “GKN has significantly increased Australia’s engineering skill base with the recruitment of some 80 world class Australian graduates over the last three years, in addition to a significant number of experienced engineers, both Australian expatriates and new migrants, creating a significant ‘brain gain’ in contrast to the ‘brain drain’ of recent times.” 
 
More engineers finding employment in Australia is critically important for Australia’s future. GKN is to be congratulated for its excellent achievement in developing an in-country support capability with an in-depth knowledge of the aircraft design and design philosophy and access to the engineering toolset and engineering data unrivalled in recent Australian history. 
 
The Australian Government’s decision to join the JSF Program opened up major opportunities for Australian industry. Australian industry has shown that it is willing to chase those opportunities and can win in competition with the world’s best. 
 
The JSF Program has provided unprecedented opportunities for Australian industry with 22 companies already contracted for work valued in excess of $A140 million, with additional significant opportunities in prospect. 
 
All of the work has been won in international competition on the basis of ‘best value’, a key principle behind maintaining JSF Program affordability.