Long Island’s GKN Aerospace rolled out the red carpet Monday for local dignitaries and officials from Lockheed Martin to pitch the features of the F-35 fighter jet, the culmination of more than a decade of design, billions of dollars and its fair share of controversy.

GKN, which employs about 350 people at its Amityville plant, makes titanium parts for the F-35 program, along with hundreds of other suppliers across New York State and spanning the globe. It’s employees were given the opportunity to see up close what the finished cockpit will look like.

“Stealth’s primary characteristic is to go into a hostile area with complete surprise and to be very difficult to detect, “said Robert L. Rubino, director of the U.S. Navy’s F-35 program.

GKN Aerospace is a global supplier for the F-35 program, producing many component parts for the F-35 Lightning II.

That includes the aircraft’s canopy, electric wiring interconnection system for all variants, the wiring system and electro thermal de-icing system for the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, composite and metal components and structures for the airframe and engine, and an arresting hook system for the F-35C variant.

At the Amityville plant, GKN Aerospace machines and assembles complex titanium and aluminum structures for the F-35 airframe, officials said.

Rubino, who flew F-18s before working for Lockheed Martin, said the F-35 has demonstrated fighting and maneuverability superiority over anything that has flown. “We want to have the first look, the first shot and the first kill, and this jet gives us all of that,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-Seaford, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, has been an advocate for the F-35 program since its inception and was present at Monday’s demonstration. He was among many local dignitaries who experienced a simulator of the F-35’s cockpit and capabilities.

Only last week, the U.S. Air Force declared that its fleet of F-35s were combat ready, meaning its entire contingent of jets, pilots and support crew were prepared to use the fighter in battle conditions. Last year, the U.S. Navy declared the same level of combat readiness for its version of the F-35.

The “fifth generation” fighter jet, as it is known, has been criticized for cost overruns and production delays. A debate lingers on Capitol Hill as to how many F-35s to authorize and how quickly. Defense advocates say it will be less expensive over time to fund more jets now.

The Lightning II are already being deployed to partner countries, including Italy and Israel, who have agreed to purchase varying numbers of F-35s.

The estimated price tag is about $85 million per jet if produced over the next three years.