(Luft) Lockheed Martin F-35 - Lightning II

[Rob]

Ja ihr hört richtig, alle Aft fuselages werden in Großbritannien gebaut.

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BAE SYSTEMS STARTS F-35 JSF ASSEMBLY
Employees at BAE Systems Samlesbury, UK, have started assembling the aft fuselage of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the next generation, supersonic, multi-role stealth aircraft.
Assembly started with the loading of a fuel-wall and the mid-keel (forward) into an assembly jig in the state-of-the-art JSF facility, which was opened at Samlesbury in September last year. Both components are located in the port boom assembly within the aft fuselage.

Michael Christie, Programme Director at BAE Systems said: “This milestone marks the start of an assembly process which, during the summer of 2005, will see the BAE SYSTEMS JSF team delivering not only the aft fuselage but also the horizontal and vertical tails of the first aircraft.”

“One of the skills that BAE Systems has brought to the JSF programme is advanced assembly techniques and processes, many of which have been developed at Samlesbury; on JSF we are now taking those to another level.”

Tom Fillingham, Vice President and Deputy Programme Manager, added; “Today marks a major step forward for BAE Systems, Samlesbury and the whole of the UK aerospace industry. When you consider that the current requirement for JSF is in excess of 2,500 aircraft, it emphasises the importance of this day for all involved. BAE Systems involvement on the JSF programme will help maintain vital design, engineering and manufacturing skills, not only within BAE Systems but across the UK as a whole.”

Frank Hayden, Site Director at Samlesbury said: “Samlesbury has a distinguished history in the production of world class aircraft and we are delighted to add JSF to that prestigious list. Achieving today's milestone is great news for the Samlesbury team and all our suppliers.”

The F-35 JSF will set new standards for assembly precision and pace. New milling machines are accurate to within 50 microns - about one-third the width of a human hair - to ensure that the JSF’s outer shape is exact and meets its low observability (stealth) requirements. During full-rate production, assembly time for an F-35 is expected to be less than half that of current-generation fighters.

BAE Systems is responsible for the design, manufacture and assembly of the aft fuselage and horizontal and vertical tails.

About F-35 JSF
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is being developed for the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as the UK’s Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, to replace the A-10, the Harrier, F-16 and the F/A-18 in current service with the two nations.

Three variants of the aircraft are being developed. The three variants feature a high degree of commonality, with each being tailored to meet any unique requirements of each service:

* a conventional takeoff and landing aircraft (CTOL) for the US Air Force, which features a larger internal weapons bay and greater internal fuel capacity, whilst the low-observable design gives greater stealth;
* a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant, for the US Marine Corps and the UK, which features a shaft-driven lift fan propulsion system that multiplies vertical thrust, enhancing short takeoff and landing performance without any compromise to the fighter ability of the aircraft;
* a carrier takeoff and landing (CV) aircraft, for the US Navy, which has increased internal fuel capacity for greater combat striking range. Larger wing tail surfaces enable superior, carrier-suitable handling qualities


About BAE SYSTEMS in the North West
BAE Systems plays a leading role in the North West, where it sits at the heart of a defence cluster of national importance. With an annual turnover of £4bn (broadly one third of the company total) and sustaining more than 35,000 jobs in the area, BAE SYSTEMS' North West sites are key to both the overall success of the company and to our nation’s ability to defend itself. Some of the company's most important, innovative and high profile programmes are undertaken at sites like Warton, Samlesbury, Chadderton, Chorley, Woodford and Barrow. These include air systems such as Eurofighter Typhoon, Joint Strike Fighter, Tornado, Hawk and Nimrod, as well as the company’s centre of excellence for submarines, at Barrow. In addition, one of BAE Systems key partner companies, MBDA, a world leading missile systems company, has a substantial site at Bolton.

Recognising the importance of the region, BAE SYSTEMS has made annual site investments over the past five years of between £60M and £150M.

About BAE SYSTEMS
BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced defence and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea and in space. The company designs, manufactures and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, radar, avionics, communications, electronics and guided weapon systems. It is a pioneer in technology with a heritage stretching back hundreds of years. It is at the forefront of innovation, working to develop the next generation of intelligent defence systems.

BAE Systems has major operations across five continents and customers in some 130 countries. The company has more than 90,000 people and generates annual sales of approximately £12 billion through its wholly-owned and joint venture operations.

BAE Systems, innovating for a safer world.