Yuma, AZ-The time for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to finally arrive at the Marine Corps Air Station-Yuma seems closer as new projects are brought to light.
Dozens of businesses and investors attended the quarterly investor luncheon hosted by the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation.
Lieutenant Colonel Dwight "Mustard" De Jong, director of the joint strike fighter activation team at MCAS Yuma said they have three projects in the works for the next fiscal year.
De Jong said they all have been approved and the project cost somewhere between $160 million dollars.
They said it will include two additional hangers for the F-35.
He also said two operating F-35 simulators are expected to be brought to MCAS by September.
Many local businesses said during the conference that the program already has impacted the economy.
The Radisson hotel reported their occupancy went up 30 percent this year compared to last year.
"Our workforce has really doubled from 95 employees in May 2011 to 189 today," Don Peterson of DPE construction said.
Recently released video of the F-35 shows the latest sea trials
According to Lockheed Martin, a global security company said the aircraft completed 72 short take offs and 72 vertical landings during the three-week testing period in the Atlantic just off Newport News, Virginia.
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