Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Robert Nowak, chief financial officer of Nowak Financial Resources, Inc., in Williston and a member of the South Burlington Board of Civil Authority.
Across the country, and here in Vermont, men and women have been working for over a decade to produce America’s next generation fighter plane, the F-35 Lightning II. This aircraft is necessary for the continued safety of our armed services both in the air and on the ground.
As with any advanced technology, the development of this plane has encountered unexpected obstacles, but at each step along the way, they have been met and addressed. Recent reports show that the F-35 is meeting its performance goals and hitting marks as testing continues. U.S. Navy Vice Admiral David Venlet, who heads the F-35 program for the entire U.S. military, has said that he is “very pleased” by the progress the F-35 is making and that the planes are “ahead of their goals for the test program.”
As the plane reaches its next phase of production, its costs will go down, testing will continue and our country will be closer to having the world’s most advanced plane as a central component of its defense strategy. Let’s not forget that it was the Vermont Air National Guard who scrambled to the World Trade Center during Sept. 11 and patrolled the skies continuously for 122 days afterwards.
Here at home, we already have men and women who are receiving positive benefits from the F-35 program. With suppliers across the country, the F-35 program creates thousands of jobs, a number that can only go higher as the plane enters full production. According to recent press reports, there is a potential that the F-35 could be based in Vermont. In these early stages of production, the F-35 already supports more than 300 state jobs and provides $48 million of revenue. These numbers will only go up as the plane enters full production.
While the F-35 is a promising and vital piece of our nation’s defensive capabilities, there are some who have tried to eliminate the program and reverse the progress we have made in developing this plane. Our leaders in Congress have demonstrated the understanding that the F-35 is the right kind of investment for our country – the kind of investment that creates high-tech jobs and ensures the continued safety of our men and women in uniform domestically and abroad.
Now more than ever, the F-35 is hitting its stride, surpassing expectations and is well on its way to protecting our men and women abroad and here at home. We are grateful for our state’s elected officials who continue to support Vermont’s service members, their families and our local economy by standing behind the F-35.
