F-35 deliveries are essential for national defense and economic stability

Today’s geopolitical tensions demand defense readiness from the U.S. and our allies abroad. The volatility in Eastern Europe and the Middle East highlights the need for advanced military capabilities for deterrence and defense.

The significance of these regions and the potential for escalation around the world demands a posture of military readiness to respond effectively to emerging threats. The F-35 Lightning II is the cutting edge of military technology and our response to a world on the brink of upheaval.

Peak military readiness demands world-leading military systems and continual system upgrades to ensure warfighters are equipped with the most advanced technology to complete missions safely and effectively. For the F-35, that upgrade is Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3), and as of this month, F-35s with this capability are being delivered across the country, including to Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base.

This is a significant milestone in a long line of progress that has been made possible by the F-35s vast supplier network. Click Bond been a proud supplier to the F-35 program since the beginning – one of over 1,600 businesses working as one team to deliver unmatched capability for our nation and our allies.

The F-35 is far more than just a fighter jet; it is the cornerstone of our national defense strategy, sharing information across air, land and sea with advanced sensors and communications features that enable pilots to execute their missions and return home safely. Every day, hundreds of our proud employees cross the threshold in our Carson City factory to play a pivotal role in ensuring that success.

The implications of the TR-3 upgrade extend beyond the F-35 program, reverberating across our global security infrastructure and underscoring the need to prioritize military readiness, strengthen alliances through interoperability, and position the F-35 as the pinnacle of defense cooperation.

There is no substitute for its enormous capabilities, and with the TR-3 update enhancing computational power, memory capacity and data processing capabilities, the F-35 will maintain its competitive edge in an increasingly technical and complex security environment.

The refresh does more than shape the landscape of modern warfare. It also reinforces the F-35 as an economic engine for our national economy and our dynamic manufacturing base. F-35 production injects more than $72 billion into our economy annually and creates more than 250,000 jobs across the U.S. In Nevada, the F-35 generates nearly $55 million in revenue for our state. The F-35 is not only dominant in the skies; it is also a dominant contributor to our local and national economy.

As an F-35 supplier, we understand the immeasurable impact the fighter has on our security and our local communities. Being a part of the most economically significant defense program pushes all of us at Click Bond to maintain excellence and evolve with a program that must advance alongside AI, cybersecurity, and information technology developments to continue to revolutionize warfare.

TR-3 is the latest F-35 configuration to send a ripple effect across the defense industry, advancing research and development, supply chain growth and international competitiveness. As F-35 jets are delivered to bases across the U.S. and around the world, there is an entire supplier infrastructure in place behind it that is designed to enhance the F-35 Lightning II program for years to come, one upgrade at a time.

Karl Hutter is CEO of Click Bond, Inc. Click Bond is a premiere adhesive-bonded fastener company with 35 years’ experience. It offers a comprehensive line of structural hardware fasteners, systems installation fasteners, adhesives and tools.