DAYTON, Ohio — The Air Force has announced that Wright-Patterson Air Force Base here will host an F-35 aircraft support and management program that could lead to at least 400 jobs.

The F-35 Hybrid Product Support Integrator Organization will be part of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at the base.

The decision confirms completion of the strategic basing process, which in December 2018 identified Wright-Pat as the preferred location, according to an Air Force news release. An environmental assessment found no significant impact.

The F-35 Hybrid Product Support Integrator organization is already operational in Crystal City, Virginia, where it was established in 2016 as part of the F-35 Joint Program Office, according to the news release. There are now HPSI personnel at 16 locations globally.

The HPSI is the Joint Program Office’s sustainment execution arm for the entire F-35 fleet, to include joint and international partner aircraft. It is focused on the delivery of readiness and sustainment performance for the F-35 user while reducing life-cycle costs.

Loren Thompson, a senior defense analyst with the Lexington Institute, says the F-35 will be the biggest weapons program in the world for several decades. The value of hosting the program amounts to billions of dollars over the next several years, he said.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine says the announcement recognizes the expertise within Ohio’s aerospace and defense community. Tt will allow Ohio to remain a global leader in the aerospace industry.

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