The RAAF is expected to acquire 100 F-35s in a $16 billion contract due to be finalised by the Rudd Government later this year. The first F-35s are due to arrive in Australia in 2014.
"Happily the joint strike fighter is a very significantly high priority in the US. Even though the budget decisions have not yet been released, I think we are going to see substantial and good support in the US for the joint strike fighter," he told The Australian.
Mr Stevens said he was absolutely confident the JSF was a very high priority and the "baseline program of choice" for the US Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy.
"It will have the highest support from the Pentagon. I believe that those in Congress who are responsible for defence and security understand that," he said.
Mr Stevens remained confident that Lockheed Martin would deliver the fifth-generation fighter on schedule and with a technical capability that customers expected.
"The facts support a program that is performing to expectations. In many respects it's a model program," he added.
Mr Stevens said it was important that partner governments continued their support for the F-35.
"The reason for that is clear. As we reduce risk on the program and as we all want the most affordable aircraft we can get ... the surest way to do that is to maintain our commitments on the acquisition of the aircraft."
Lockheed Martin is one of the world's biggest defence and security businesses. Headquartered in Maryland, USA, it employs 146,000 people worldwide including 430 in Australia.
Besides the coming JSF contract, Lockheed Martin is also supplying the AEgis combat system for the Navy's three air warfare destroyers.
Mr Stevens said the company wanted to expand its footprint in Australia, which now stretches beyond the defence realm to civil government authorities including Australia Post and the Victorian Government's tax office.
Lockheed Martin is rapidly expanding its non-military business around the globe in areas such as IT, logistics and sustainment services.
"We have been the No1 information technology provider to the US government for the last 14 years and that surprises people because we tend to talk more about aeroplanes than information technology," Mr Stevens said. "We look to expand our footprint here as broadly and rapidly as we can which is going to be a function of the environmental circumstances and conditions that exist. I would certainly like to see that 430-person workforce double in a few years and double again."
Mr Stevens said Lockheed Martin remained intent on "large-scale national imperative capabilities" as its core business.
"We are very confident in focusing on large-scale government-to-government and industry-to-government programs. We have real excellence and expertise there."
He said that despite the global downturn, which he agreed was the worst in his lifetime, Lockheed Martin remained in good shape without any financial or liquidity constraints. The company continues to be a favoured workplace -- attracting 1.2 million resumes from prospective employees last year.
"It's an odd thing: there's a global economic recession to be sure ... there are clearly impacts but there are clearly opportunities. We are not pulling back from investments. We are making additional investments. Now is a great opportunity to rebuild the foundations for 21st century applications," he said.
Source: The Australian Newspaper's Aviation Website
