FORT WORTH – Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Republican Leader of the House Appropriations Committee, was pleased to welcome Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday to Fort Worth today for his second site visit to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 facility. The visit was hosted by Lockheed Martin to discuss aircraft technology upgrades, production status, and the health of the North Texas defense industrial base.

“I am pleased to welcome Admiral Gilday back to Fort Worth to share the stories of North Texans who for generations have worked on these production lines and produced the world’s most advance military aircraft critical to U.S. national defense,” said Congresswoman Granger. “Our shared commitment to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is a key component to ensuring U.S. naval superiority now and in the future.”

“Today’s visit from Admiral Gilday highlights the role played by Texas, and North Texas in particular, at the forefront of our nation’s strong national defense. Our visit gave us greater insight on the incredible capabilities of the F-35 and the advancements being made to ensure we have the best fighter fleet in the world.   I will always remain the F-35 program’s staunchest advocate.”

“The work that we’re doing here in Fort Worth in partnership with Lockheed Martin is delivering cutting edge capabilities for the Navy now and into the future,” said Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday.  “These advanced capabilities will ensure the U.S. Navy will maintain our warfighting advantage against increasingly competitive adversaries and ensure tomorrow’s Sailors will have what they need to win the fight.”

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