Courtesy photograph

Rep. Steve Knight, R-Calif., ‘flies’ the F-35 cockpit demonstrator during a visit to Crissair in Valencia, Calif. Crissair was honored by Lockheed Martin, receiving the 2017 Elite Supplier Award for its work on the F-35.

Congressman Knight ‘flies’ Lightning II
VALENCIA, Calif.–Lockheed Martin showcased its F-35 Lightning II mobile cockpit demonstrator Aug. 21 to elected officials and leaders in the business community at Crissair, a subsidiary of ESCO Technologies Inc., and recipient of the 2017 Elite Supplier Award for its dedication and contribution to the success of the F-35 program.

Crissair designs and develops more than 30 different products for the F-35. House Armed Services Committee member Steve Knight, R-Calif. – spoke at the event.

“I am thrilled to be here today to recognize the contributions of the Crissair team to the development of the world’s most advanced fighter,” said Knight. “The fifth-generation capabilities of the F-35 are essential to our ability to combat 21st century threats. I take great pride in having the opportunity to recognize the workers in the 25th Congressional District who are an important part of making it a reality for our Armed forces and our allies.”

Lockheed Martin’s for Strategy and Customer Requirements Vice President for Advanced Development Programs, Jack O’Banion, praised the Crissair team.

“We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of the Crissair team to the development of the F-35 Lightning II and honored to demonstrate the capabilities of the F-35 to Congressman Knight and the community here in Valencia,” said O’Banion. “The State of California and this area in particular plays a major role in the advancement of this program, supporting over 31,000 direct and indirect jobs with an annual economic impact of $10.8 billion. It is not an exaggeration to say that we would not be where we are today without their efforts.”

Mike Alfred, Crissair’s president, said, “Our team of nearly 200 are proud to support the development of the F-35, the world’s most advanced fighter jet. “The men and women who make up this company embody the very values upon which it was built: hard-work, dedication and, most importantly, a shared commitment to the success of our clients and customers. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to recognize their achievements, and specifically to highlight their contributions to the F-35 program.”

During the event, attendees received an update on the status of the program as well as the opportunity to “fly” the F-35 cockpit demonstrator to gain an understanding, from a pilot’s perspective, of how stealth, fighter agility, sophisticated sensor fusion and advanced computational capabilities make this the most lethal and survivable strike fighter jet ever built. The cockpit is visually and audibly interactive and provides a realistic look at the F-35’s performance “flying” both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

The F-35 program sustains a highly-skilled workforce critical to national security and economic prosperity. In 2018, the F-35 program has more than 1,500 suppliers in 46 states and Puerto Rico, employing more than 194,000 people (direct and indirect) and generating an annual economic impact of over $31 billion. As the program reaches full rate production, its economic impact will continue to rise.

The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth generation fighter, combining advanced stealth technology with supersonic speed, advanced sensors, enhanced weapons capacity and superior range.