Italy will carry out heavy aircraft maintenance for F-35s in Europe, while Australia and Japan will handle strike fighter work in the Pacific, the F-35 program office recently announced. Turkey will tackle heavy engine maintenance for Europe. Pacific engine work will be done, once again, by Australia and Japan. Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan said at a press conference that Italy won the right to do the work by virtue of its $1 billion investment in an F-35 final assembly and checkout facility on its soil, thus sharply reducing what the other partners must invest. Italy and Turkey are to be ready to do European work in 2018. In addition, Britain was designated to handle overflow aircraft work, and Norway and the Netherlands will provide additional engine capacity circa 2020.
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