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JSF aft fuselage is delivered on schedule

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 20, 2005

BAE Systems has delivered the first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aft fuselage on schedule, representing a major milestone in the F-35 programme.

BAE Systems has delivered the first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aft fuselage on schedule, representing a major milestone in the F-35 programme, and progressing manufacturing and assembly of the first F-35 towards first flight in 2006.

Addressing a crowd of F-35 employees, industry partners and special guests within the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at BAE Systems' Samlesbury Site, Tom Fillingham, Vice President and Deputy Programme Manager, F-35 JSF, expressed his deep gratitude: "Thanks to the hard work and expertise of our employees at Samlesbury, Warton, Brough and Fort Worth, we have reached this significant achievement".

"BAE Systems manufacturing and assembly facilities at Samlesbury represent the significant investment by BAE Systems as a key risk-sharing partner on the F-35 programme".

"As a major UK industrial participant, BAE Systems is investing GBP 39 million in system development and demonstration (SDD) costs and an additional GBP 35 million in UK JSF facilities over the course of SDD".

In accepting delivery of the BAE Systems F-35 aft fuselage, Dan Crowley, incoming Executive Vice President and General Manager F-35 JSF Programme, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, explained: "The first F-35 is coming alive in front of our very eyes and I am honoured to be a part of this great day to celebrate the hard work and achievements of the BAE Systems JSF employees in delivering the first aft fuselage to Fort Worth".

"BAE Systems brings valuable experience to the F-35 programme due to its rich heritage of short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) from the Harrier programme as well as advanced lean manufacturing technology from its facilities in the UK".

BAE Systems will ship the F-35 JSF aft fuselage to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth.

It will be joined to the remaining aircraft structure comprising the Northrop Grumman-built centre fuselage and the Lockheed Martin-produced wing and forward fuselage.

The F-35 is a next-generation, supersonic, multiple-role stealth aircraft designed to replace the AV-8B Harrier, A-10, F-16, F/A-18 Hornet and the UK's Harrier GR.7 and Sea Harrier.

The first F-35, a conventional-takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) variant, is scheduled for completion at year's end.

Three versions of the F-35 are planned: a CTOL, a short-takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) and a carrier variant (CV).

Each is derived from a common design, and will ensure that the F-35 meets the performance needs of the US Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and allied defence forces worldwide, while staying within strict affordability targets.

BAE Systems facilities in both the USA and UK are responsible for the design and delivery of key areas of the vehicle and weapon systems, in particular the fuel system, crew escape, life support system, prognostics health management (PHM) integration and electro-optical targeting system (EOTS).

BAE Systems also has significant work share in autonomic logistics, primarily on the support system side, and is involved in the integrated test force, including the systems flight test and mission systems.

BAE Systems is responsible for the F-35 JSF's electronic warfare (EW) systems suite and is also providing advanced affordable low observable apertures and advanced countermeasure systems.

Additionally, BAE Systems is responsible for supplying the vehicle management computer, the communication, navigation and identification (CNI) modules, the active stick and throttle and the EOTS laser subsystem.

The SDD phase is estimated to be worth GBP 1.3 billion to BAE Systems in the UK and a further GBP 406 million to BAE Systems North America.

Production could be worth GBP 9 billion to BAE Systems UK, and a further GBP 2.4 billion in the USA.

These figures do not include export sales, support or other opportunities such as upgrade programmes.