Congressman Steve Knight, R-Santa Clarita, and Lockheed Martin celebrated Crissair Tuesday for the company’s work on the F-35 program.

Lockheed showcased its F-35 Lightning II mobile cockpit demonstrator during an event with elected officials and leaders to honor Crissair.

The company received the “2017 Elite Supplier Award” for its dedication and contribution to the success of the fighter jet program.

The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation fighter, combining advanced stealth technology with supersonic speed, advanced sensors, enhanced weapons capacity and superior range, according to Lockheed Martin.

“I am thrilled to be here today to recognize the contributions of the Crissair team to the development of the world’s most advanced fighter,” said Knight. “The fifth-generation capabilities of the F-35 are essential to our ability to combat 21st century threats. I take great pride in having the opportunity to recognize the workers in the 25th Congressional District who are an important part of making it a reality for our Armed Forces and our allies.”

Crissair designs and develops more than 30 different products for the F-35 in their Santa Clarita headquarters, employing more than 200 people, according to company officials.

Knight previously advocated for the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS), which uses GPS tracking, avionics integration and terrain information in an effort to save lives and equipment.

If the system detects an impending collision with the surface, the computer will assume temporary control of the aircraft to execute evasive maneuvers. Upon return to a safe flight path, control is returned to the pilot, according to officials.

“We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of the Crissair team to the development of the F-35 Lightning II and honored to demonstrate the capabilities of the F-35 to Congressman Knight and the community here in Valencia,” said Jack O’Banion, vice president of strategy and customer requirements for advanced development programs at Lockheed Martin.

During the event, attendees received an update on the status of the program as well as the opportunity to “fly” the F-35 cockpit demonstrator to gain an understanding from a pilot’s perspective.

The cockpit is visually and audibly interactive and provides a realistic look at the F-35’s performance “flying” both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, officials said.

Three William S. Hart District students attended the event to give them a first-hand look at the aerospace manufacturing sector.

“Some students and parents think it’s a ‘dirty’ thing to work in manufacturing, that they might be stuck,” said Sue Reynolds-Buckley, career development coordinator for the Hart District. “Crissair does a good job of showing the opportunity and career projection in this sector.”

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