The international JSF programme

The phases of the JSF programme

The JSF programme consists of a number of phases: development, testing, production, maintenance (or ‘sustainment’, to use the JSF term) and follow-on development. The partner countries have signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) setting out the details of each phase of the programme. The phases of the JSF programme>> Among the topics addressed by the MoUs are the financial arrangements between the partners, and the powers of the national audit offices in the partner countries to perform audits of the programme.

The partner countries involved in the JSF programme

Seven other countries, in addition to the Netherlands and the US, are partner countries in the international JSF programme. The other countries are Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

The JSF Program Office

The JSF programme is managed by the JSF Program Office (JPO), which is part of the US Department of Defense and employs both US personnel and personnel from the partner countries. The JPO places orders with aircraft manufacturers for developing and producing the JSF.

JSF aircraft ordered by non-partner countries

Other countries, i.e. countries that are not partners in the JSF programme, are also entitled to order the aircraft. Indeed, a number of non-partner countries have already done so. See the web page entitled Non-partner countries that have ordered the JSF for a list of these orders.

Development concurrent with production

One of the unique aspects of the JSF programme is the fact that production of the aircraft already started during the development phase. This affects both the pace with which production comes on stream and the cost of the programme.