CANBERRA, Australia, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- The Australian Defense Department has started a special program to support companies and organizations involved in the Joint Strike Fighter program.
It's called the New Air Combat Capability Industry Support Program and provides nearly $9.2 million in grants.
The Defense Materiel Organization's program manager for New Air Combat Capability, Air Vice Marshal Kym Osley, said that by launching the grants program the government was fostering development of new or improved local industry capabilities that directly support the F-35 JSF program.
The grants program offers funding out to 2014 for development of a JSF technology capability that has multiple applications; development of a JSF industry capability that enhances a company's competitiveness in winning work in the JSF Program, or to engage in a study that relates to a required JSF capability requirement; and research projects that lead to JSF industry capability enhancements or manufacturing improvements.
Nearly 30 Australian companies have won work, worth more than $250 million, on the JSF program.
Long-term agreements have also been made with a number of the JSF prime contractors and their suppliers that are expected to deliver considerably more work to Australian companies.
