WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, May 3, Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) and Congresswoman Martha Roby (R-AL) joined local elected officials and community leaders at the Montgomery Multiplex at the Cramton Bowl to receive an update on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft and to hear about the program’s economic impact. During the demonstration, Reps. Sewell and Roby “flew” in the cockpit demonstrator to experience the capabilities of the F-35 firsthand.

Pictures of Rep. Terri Sewell in the F-35 cockpit demonstrator are available here.

“I am thrilled that our district’s 187th Air National Guard Fighter Wing Unit will become the first home in the Southeast to F-35 fighter jets. The F-35 builds on the legacy of military excellence displayed by the 187th Fighter Wing, which is home to the renowned Tuskegee ‘Red Tails,” said Rep. Sewell. “Basing the F-35 at Dannelly Field will be a major boost for Alabama’s economy. This means new investments, new jobs, and a better future for our state, the City of Montgomery, and the River Region.”

In Alabama, the F-35 already produces $10.7 million annually for the state’s economy, a boost generated by a total of 13 in-state supplier locations which support the F-35 program. Because of the decision to base the F-35 at Dannelly Field, the City of Montgomery and the River Region will receive approximately $3 billion in new capital investment and $70 million in new construction, creating an estimated 1,000 additional jobs.

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Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) is serving her fourth term representing Alabama’s 7th Congressional district. She sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was recently appointed to the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. Sewell is a Chief Deputy Whip and serves on the prestigious Steering and Policy Committee of the Democratic Caucus. She is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and serves as Vice Chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, and Vice Chair of Outreach for the New Democrat Coalition