The U.S. and its international allies must uphold a robust defense posture as geopolitical unrest continues to escalate. The ongoing instabilities in Eastern Europe and the Middle East underscore the need for superior military capabilities for a strong defense and increased deterrence. The F-35 Lightning II -- now equipped with its latest upgrade -- reinvigorates our capacity to deter aggression in a world teetering on the brink of chaos. Our service members in uniform need congressional investment into the F-35 program to have access to our nation's most advanced fifth generation fighter.
The F-35's latest enhancement, known as Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3), equips the F-35 with groundbreaking technology. These upgraded F-35s are being distributed nationwide, which is a significant milestone in the chain of advancements made possible by the F-35's extensive supplier network. This network, which includes Long Island-based businesses, plays a crucial part in ensuring the success of the F-35 program, demonstrating that the collaborative effort of American businesses have an impact on communities in New York and across the world.
The F-35 Lightning II program alone boasts over 1,600 businesses in its supply chain. Many of those businesses are small businesses and several are based in New York where the F-35 program generates an astounding $1.6 billion in revenue every year. That investment in our economy has a ripple effect on thousands of New York workers, many of whom can be found right here on Long Island. Everything from the F-35's Portable Floor Cranes to the Arresting Gear Door Locks and Arresting Gear is made on Long Island.
As a coalition of defense and aerospace companies, ADDAPT has unique insight into this fighter jet's incredible influence on our security and local communities. Long Island manufacturers uphold excellence and evolve concurrently with the F-35 which must keep pace with AI, cybersecurity, and IT advancements to continue reshaping warfare. The Long Island Manufacturing Extension Partnership (LIMEP), based at Stony Brook University, actively assists manufacturers to advance in these three key areas. The TR-3 enhancement may be the latest upgrade to send shockwaves through the defense industry, but it will not be the last if Congress continues to support defense manufacturers by investing further in the F-35 program.
Every year, congressional committees review and recommend budgetary items for the upcoming fiscal year. Sometimes we see this process play out in the media but almost none of the time do we see how this budgetary process impacts people, especially Long Island manufacturers and their employees. For the F-35's supply chain to continue doing what it does best, Congress must increase F-35 procurement, or the supply chain will not realize its full potential. Each year that passes without peak production levels being funded by Congress is a lost opportunity to create jobs and equip the branches of our military with the technology that keeps our adversaries at bay.
The TR-3 upgrades demonstrate the ingenuity of the F-35's supply chain and the aircraft's unmatched precision and proficiency. As F-35 jets are dispatched to bases throughout the U.S. and globally, an extensive supplier network is prepared to enhance the F-35 Lightning II program one upgrade at a time. Congress can support us in this effort by fully funding the F-35 to peak production levels.
Now more than ever the world is looking to us, and we are ready. Is Congress?