A NEW £280 billion fighter jet will use equipment developed at BAe Systems in Rochester. Following the biggest deal in military history, American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has won the right to build the Joint Strike Fighter and BAe is to be awarded a major contract for the project.

More than 3,000 Joint Strike Fighters have been ordered to replace the F-16 as the world's leading strike aircraft and the new jet will include an innovative joystick developed and built at BAe's Rochester branch.

BAe has predicted 75 specialised jobs will be created at Rochester to produce the joystick and the company also expects a cash boost from Lockheed Martin of billions of pounds for its business in the UK and North America over the next 20 years.

The Active Stick and Throttle System will replace the old fashioned electro-mechanical joysticks, giving Top Gun pilots increased handling capabilities, greater reliability and a reduced workload. The Rochester-designed system will use the very latest in digital technology and experts believe it will set the standard for military aircraft for the next 50 years.

The equipment will be produced at BAe's site just off City Way. Dennis Burton, a BAe spokesman, described the lucrative contract as a "massive boost" for the Medway workforce.