Don Erickson, site director for Lockheed Martin, shows off the hangar where they hope to build T-50A trainer jets for the U.S. Air Force in the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center on Wednesday, May 18, 2016.(Photo: LAUREN PETRACCA/Staff)Buy Photo

Don Erickson, site manager ofLockheed Martin's Greenville facility, will address the South Carolina Aerospace Convention and Expo in Columbia in August.

The third annual conference will be held Aug. 29 to 31at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

Erickson will talk specificallyabout Lockheed's planned move of F-16 fighter jet production to Greenville from the company's Fort Worth, Texas plant. Hewill go over the timeline of when production is expected to start in Greenville and the details associated with the move.

In March, officials confirmed Lockheed Martinwill transition F-16 production to itsGreenville facility at the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center, or SCTAC. Leslie Farmer, spokesperson for Lockheed's Greenville operations, toldThe Greenville Newsthelast F-16 from the Forth Worth plant will be delivered in September, and it will take about two years for the company to get production going at its Greenville.

Employees at the Fort Worth familiar will transition into production of theF-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Erickson said some pieces of the F-16 production transition have already started, while renovations of the existinghangar are ongoing.

Lockheed already employs about 500 people at its Greenville facility. Erickson said the F-16 production shift could initially add between 180 and200 people, but there are potential opportunities to add more.

Asked whether Lockheed Martin supplier companies could shift their work from Fort Worth to Greenville: Erickson said there is a possibility down the road.

"There's a lot out there. The F-16 is certainly an excellent aircraft and very affordable," he said. "As we get the opportunity to build more, some of the suppliers could see it as advantageous to move a little bit closer."

Last year at the convention, Erickson spoke about Lockheed's T-50A trainer jet, part of an ongoing battle to wina $8 billion to $10 billioncontract to build a new training jet for the U.S. Air Force.

The Air Force is expected to make a decision on that by early 2018.

In August, Erickson will be joined by other speakers, that includeJoan Robinson-Berry, Vice President and general manager of Boeing in South Carolina, andUniversity of South Carolina Provost Joan Gabel.

"It'salways good to get together with aerospace partners in South Carolina," Erickson said. "Ithink it'sgreat forum foreveryone to glean amore knowledge and share information."

Read or Share this story: http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2017/06/09/lockheeds-don-erickson-address-s-c-aerospace-convention-columbia/378615001/

See the article here:

Lockheed's Don Erickson to address SC Aerospace Convention in Columbia - Greenville News