The U.S. government is planning to invest additional funding in F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, President Donald Trump announced last week during a visit to Derco, a Milwaukee-based aircraft supplier.
“From here in Milwaukee, you are supporting magnificent aircraft, and soon you’ll support the unstoppable, stealth F-35 Lightning II,” Trump said. “I am thrilled to be back in the great state of Wisconsin with the extraordinary men and women of Derco. We are here today to celebrate the triumphant return of American manufacturing, and everything we are doing to keep the assembly lines rolling.”
Derco, a Lockheed Martin Company, provides parts warehousing and distribution sustainment for the F-35 Lightning II jets. It will support the management and delivery of 1,500 different F-35 parts to locations around the globe. The increased work will create more jobs for repair technicians, operations personnel, and supply chain management experts. The company estimates it will grow its workforce by an estimated 15 percent by the end of the year. Roughly 20 percent of Derco employees are veterans. Also, Derco is planning to expand its Milwaukee campus. All in all, the F-35 provides $1.2 million in economic impact across the supply chain in Wisconsin.
The U.S. program of record is for 2,456 aircraft. Lockheed Martin is set to deliver 1,000 more to allied nations.