WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) has secured $6.5 million in new appropriations for Hill Air Force Base in the defense budget for Fiscal Year 2027.
In the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act passed by the U.S. House in mid-May, that amount is earmarked for the planning and design of a dedicated F-35 Canopy Maintenance Facility at Hill AFB.
“As canopy repair work transitions from manufacturers to the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill,” Moore explains, “this new facility is urgently needed to prevent costly outsourcing, avoid maintenance delays and sustain aircraft availability for both U.S. and allied forces.”
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an advanced, supersonic fifth-generation multi-role fighter jet with stealth capabilities. Jointly developed by the United States and defense partners, the F-35 is designed to achieve air superiority, strike missions and electronic warfare.
The aircraft is widely used by the U.S. military and allied nations due to its “golf-ball” sized radar signature and superior battlefield data-sharing capabilities.
The F-35’s canopy isn’t just a piece of shaped glass. It is coated with multiple ultra-thin conductive layers designed to manage electromagnetic signals, reduce glare and support the aircraft’s stealth profile.
The specialized conductive layer prevents radar waves from entering the cockpit, helping shield sensitive avionics from electromagnetic interference. The low-observable material minimizes radar cross-section and creates a shielding effect against adversary attacks.
Those qualities make maintenance and repair of the F-35’s canopy a high priority.
Currently, F-35 canopy repair work is being conducted in Buildings 271 and 850 at Hill Air Force Base, according to Moore. Those facilities are able to support a low initial production rate of six assemblies per month.
This rate is acceptable at present, but as the Air Force continues to acquire more F-35 aircraft, more of the canopy depot maintenance work currently being done by the manufacturer will soon be transferred to the Air Force.
Additionally, the Ogden Air Logistic Complex at Hill AFB has been selected as the sole repair facility for F-35 canopies for the U.S. Navy, the Maine Corps and several allied nations.
When all of that work is transferred from Lockheed Martin to Hill, Moore emphasizes, a much larger repair facility on base will need to be ready.
“Without this project,” he adds, “Hill Air Force Base will not have the resources in place to fulfill obligated canopy repair workloads associated with the F-35 aircraft, resulting in the need to privately contract at a higher cost to accomplish this workload and meet maintenance deadlines.”