Lockheed Martin Delivers 500ᵗʰ Electro-Optical Targeting System For F-35

PARIS, June 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) successfully delivered the 500th Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS). All units have been delivered on time or ahead of schedule to support aircraft production and sustainment requirements.

"We are proud to bring superior capabilities to the F-35," said Michael Williamson, vice president of Sensors & Global Sustainment at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (MFC). "We know how important this capability is to the warfighter and we continue to invest in our Advanced EOTS upgrade, which will bring extended capabilities to the cockpit."

F-35 EOTS is the world's first sensor to combine forward-looking infrared and infrared search and track functionality to provide F-35 pilots with precise air-to-air and air-to-ground targeting capability. EOTS allows aircrews to identify areas of interest, perform reconnaissance and precisely deliver laser and GPS-guided weapons.

The company also delivered the 4,000thDistributed Aperture System (DAS) Window for the F-35 Lightning II. The DAS Window set consists of six polycrystalline silicon, low-observable, infrared transparent windows for Electro Optical (EO) DAS sensors on the F-35. Each shipset of windows enables the EODAS sensor to provide threat detection and 360-degree situational awareness to the pilot.

Northrop Grumman Delivers 500th Center Fuselage for the F-35 Lightning II

An F-35 technician performs a skin assembly process with work instructions projected on the structure as one of the innovative solutions for high rate military aircraft production. A core structure of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft, the center fuselage is produced on Northrop Grumman's integrated assembly line at its Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence.

PALMDALE, Calif. – Feb. 25, 2019 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has completed the 500th center fuselage for the F-35 Lightning II – ahead of schedule. 

“We deliver an F-35 center fuselage every 36 hours and I am very proud to say we have made all our deliveries since the inception of the program,” said Frank Carus, vice president and F-35 program manager, Northrop Grumman. “Our dedicated team works closely with the customer and suppliers to improve quality and affordability in support of the warfighter.”

Designated AU-18, the 500th F-35 center fuselage is for a conventional takeoff and landing variant for the Royal Australian Air Force. Northrop Grumman began production on the AU-18 center fuselage in June 2018 and completed work on Feb. 21. Northrop Grumman has been producing center fuselages for all three F-35 variants since May 2004.

“We have set the standard for the production of military aircraft,” said Kevin Mickey, sector vice president and general manager, military aircraft systems, Northrop Grumman. “Our teams and suppliers are constantly finding better, more affordable ways to deliver a superior product on-time, at-cost and, as with this center fuselage, ahead of schedule. When you couple this level of commitment with advanced manufacturing technologies, it’s just a win-win situation for us, our customer and the warfighter.”

A core structure of the F-35 aircraft, the center fuselage is designed and produced on Northrop Grumman's integrated assembly line, a state-of-the-art facility supported by technologies exclusive to or pioneered by Northrop Grumman bringing together robotics, autonomous systems, virtual 3D and predictive automation to the forefront of center fuselage production.

Lockheed Martin is the industry lead for the F-35 program and Northrop Grumman plays a key role in the development, modernization, sustainment and production of the F-35. In addition to producing the center fuselage and wing skins for the aircraft, the company develops, produces and maintains several sensor systems, avionics, mission systems and mission-planning software, pilot and maintainer training systems courseware, electronic warfare simulation test capability, and low-observable technologies.

F-35 Lightning II

The F-35 Lightning II is a stealthy, supersonic, multirole fighter designed to meet the requirements of the United States and allied defense forces worldwide for an affordable next generation fighter. It will replace a wide range of aging fighter and strike aircraft currently in the inventories of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and allied defense forces.

Northrop Grumman is a principal member of the Lockheed Martin-led industry team, which is developing and producing three variants. The F-35A is the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, the F-35B is the short takeoff-vertical landing (STOVL) variant, and the F-35C is the carrier variant (CV).

Northrop Grumman Selected to Continue F-35 Program Mission Critical Work

CANBERRA, Australia – Feb. 22, 2019 – Northrop Grumman Australia, a fully owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), welcomes the announcement of the assignment of maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade (MRO&U) work for the multinational F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program to the Australian defence industry.

Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin

Under this assignment announcement, Northrop Grumman Australia and fellow Australian companies, BAE Systems, MOOG, RUAG, NIOA, Survitec, and GE Aviation, will provide the capabilities underpinning thirteen of seventeen MRO&U component repair technology groups assigned to the Asia-Pacific region. These categories, assigned to Australian industry by the U.S. Department of Defense for the sustainment of F-35 Lightning IIs based in the Asia-Pacific region, include depot repair for avionics, munitions/weapons delivery, canopy systems, aircraft composite structure, electro-optical systems, electrical components, valves, auxiliary power systems, hydraulics, pneumatics, pneudraulics, hydro-mechanical systems, landing gear, life support and pumps.

“Northrop Grumman Australia continues to be fully committed to growing its in-country technical sustainment workforce and capabilities, and this work will allow us to continue supporting the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) mission and the Australian defence industry at large,” said Warren King, interim chief executive, Northrop Grumman Australia. “We are grateful to our industry teammates, the Australian JSF Division, the Commonwealth government, and the U.S. JPO for this recognition.”

Northrop Grumman’s capabilities related to F-35 are reinforced by the company’s support to the RAAF’s KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport, Special Purpose Aircraft fleet and C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifter. With the sustainment and modernisation solutions we will offer for other mission-critical platforms such as the MQ-4C Triton, Northrop Grumman is well positioned to continue to drive strategic value creation in the MRO market.

Based on the assignment, Northrop Grumman Australia will deliver avionics, composites (teaming with Quickstep) and electro-optics repair (teaming with BAE Systems) services. In providing these services, the company will leverage its existing capabilities, as well as introduce new technologies to the Australian defence industrial community. To further support the execution of this assignment, Northrop Grumman Australia is establishing an Electronic Sustainment Centre (ESC) to sustain mission-readiness capabilities within the Commonwealth. After achieving readiness in January 2019 to support regional APN-241 radar repair, the ESC is prepared to support key fifth-generation communications, navigation, and identification systems.

“MRO&U components are one element of the F-35 global sustainment solution. As the U.S. and partner nations activate their F-35 fleets, Northrop Grumman and its industry team will continue to ensure critical systems are available for tasking and mission training,” said Steve Hogan, vice president, global sustainment and technology services supply chain, Northrop Grumman Technology Services.

PENTAGON AND LOCKHEED MARTIN AGREE TO REDUCED F-35 PRICE IN NEW PRODUCTION CONTRACT

F-35A Aircraft Now Below $90 Million

FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 28, 2018/PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) have finalized an $11.5 billion contract for the production and delivery of 141 F-35 aircraft at the lowest per aircraft price in program history.

For the eleventh consecutive year, the cost of an F-35A was lowered.  The F-35A unit price including aircraft, engine and fee, is $89.2 million. This represents a 5.4 percent reduction from the $94.3 million it cost for an F-35A in Low-Rate Initial Production Lot 10 (LRIP 10). 

In LRIP 11, the F-35B unit cost was lowered to $115.5 million.  This represents a 5.7 percent reduction from the $122.4 millionit cost for the short-takeoff and landing variant in LRIP 10. The F-35C unit cost was lowered to $107.7 million. This represents an 11.1 percent reduction from the $121.2 million it cost for the carrier variant in LRIP 10. The LRIP 11 agreement funds 91 aircraft for the U.S. Services, 28 for F-35 International Partners and 22 for F-35 Foreign Military Sales customers. Deliveries will begin in 2019.

"Driving down cost is critical to the success of this program," said Vice Admiral Mat Winter, F-35 Program Executive Officer. "We are delivering on our commitment to get the best price for taxpayers and warfighters.

"This agreement for the next lot of F-35s represents a fair deal for the U.S. Government, our international partnership and industry.  We remain focused on aggressively reducing F-35 cost and delivering best value."

With stealth technology, supersonic speed, powerful sensors, large weapons capacity and global deployment, the F-35 is the most advanced fighter aircraft ever built, enabling women and men in uniform to execute their mission and return home safely. More than a fighter jet, the F-35's ability to collect, analyze and share data, is a powerful force multiplier that enhances all airborne, surface and ground-based assets in the battlespace.

"This agreement marks a significant step forward for the F-35 program as we continue to increase production, reduce costs and deliver transformational capabilities to our men and women in uniform," said Greg Ulmer, F-35 Vice President and General Manager. "As production ramps up, and we implement additional cost savings initiatives, we are on track to reduce the cost of the F-35A to $80 million by 2020, which is equal to or less than legacy aircraft, while providing a major leap in capability."

Program Progress

The latest contract is a demonstration of the program's progress and maturity, as industry and the government now set their sights on future acquisition approaches for the next three production lots to further reduce costs.

With more than 320 aircraft operating from 15 bases around the globe – the F-35 is playing a critical role in today's global security environment. More than 680 pilots and 6,200 maintainers have been trained and the F-35 fleet has surpassed more than 155,000 cumulative flight hours. The F-35 weapons system reliability continues to improve through a combination of hardware and software improvements.

In addition to advanced capability, the F-35 provides economic stability to the U.S. and Allied nations by creating jobs, commerce and security, and contributing to the global trade balance. The F-35 is built by thousands of men and women in America and around the world. With more than 1,500 suppliers in 46 states and Puerto Rico, the F-35 program supports more than 194,000 direct and indirect jobs in the U.S. alone. The program also includes more than 100 international suppliers, creating or sustaining thousands of international jobs.

LOCKHEED MARTIN SELECTS RAYTHEON TO DELIVER NEXT GENERATION F-35 SENSOR SYSTEM

The F-35's Distributed Aperture System collects and sends high resolution, real-time imagery to the pilot's helmet from six infrared cameras mounted around the aircraft, allowing pilots to see the environment around them - day or night.

Supply Chain Competition to Significantly Reduce Cost, Improve Reliability and Enhance Capability

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 13, 2018/PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] selected Raytheon [NYSE: RTN] to develop and deliver the next generation Distributed Aperture System (DAS) for the F-35 fighter jet. The result of a Lockheed Martin-led competition, the selection will enhance capability and reduce cost.

The F-35's DAS collects and sends high resolution, real-time imagery to the pilot's helmet from six infrared cameras mounted around the aircraft, allowing pilots to see the environment around them – day or night. With the ability to detect and track threats from any angle, the F-35 DAS gives pilots unprecedented situational awareness of the battlespace.

"The supply chain competition for the next generation F-35 Distributed Aperture System resulted in significant cost savings, reliability and performance improvements," said Greg Ulmer, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of the F-35 program. "We are aggressively pursuing cost reduction across the F-35 enterprise and this initiative is a clear demonstration of our unrelenting commitment to reduce costs and deliver transformational capabilities for the warfighter."

Reduce Costs, Increased Performance

The Raytheon-built DAS will be integrated into F-35 aircraft starting with Lot 15 aircraft, expected to begin deliveries in 2023. The next generation DAS system is estimated to generate the following results compared to the current system:

• More than $3 billion in life cycle cost savings
• Approximately 45 percent reduction in unit recurring cost
• Greater than 50 percent reduction in operations and sustainment cost
• 5 times more reliability
• 2 times performance capability improvement
• The new system will also indirectly benefit aircraft readiness and service manpower requirements

"Raytheon's solution delivers next generation capability for the fifth generation F-35," said Roy Azevedovice president of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. "Our focus is on providing pilots every tactical advantage imaginable while ensuring taxpayers receive the best value possible."

With stealth technology, advanced sensors, weapons capacity and range, the F-35 is the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter aircraft ever built. More than a fighter jet, the F-35's ability to collect, analyze and share data is a powerful force multiplier enhancing all airborne, surface and ground-based assets in the battlespace and enabling men and women in uniform to execute their mission and come home safe.

For additional information, visit www.f35.com.

PENTAGON AND LOCKHEED MARTIN DELIVER 300TH F-35 AIRCRAFT

F-35 Enterprise Ramps Up Production and Reduces Costs

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 11, 2018/PRNewswire/ -- The F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] delivered the 300th production F-35 aircraft, demonstrating the program's continued progress and momentum. The 300th aircraft is a U.S. Air Force F-35A, to be delivered to Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

"The F-35 weapons system is a key enabler of our National Defense Strategy and is providing our warfighters the combat proven, advanced capabilities they need to meet mission requirements," said Vice Admiral Mat Winter, program executive officer for the F-35 Joint Program Office. "The 300th production aircraft delivery is a significant milestone that highlights the effective F-35 Enterprise collaboration across the JPO, U.S. services, partners and industry. Moving forward, our F-35 team remains committed to driving costs down, quality up and faster delivery timelines across our development, production and sustainment lines of effort."

The first 300 F-35s include 197 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variants, 75 F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variants, and 28 F-35C carrier variants (CV) and have been delivered to U.S. and international customers. More than 620 pilots and 5,600 maintainers have been trained, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed more than 140,000 cumulative flight hours.

"This milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our joint government and industry team as we collaborate to deliver transformational F-35 capabilities to the men and women in uniform," said Greg Ulmer, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of the F-35 program. "We are focused on reducing costs, increasing efficiencies, and ensuring the highest level of quality as we ramp to full rate production and sustainment of the operational fleet."

Increasing Production, Reducing Costs

As production volume increases and additional efficiencies are implemented, Lockheed Martin is on track to reduce the cost of an F-35A to $80 million by 2020, which is equal to or less than legacy 4th generation aircraft. With the incorporation of lessons learned, process efficiencies, production automation, facility and tooling upgrades, supply chain initiatives and more, the F-35 enterprise has already significantly reduced costs and improved efficiency. For example:

• The price of an F-35A has come down more than 60 percent from the first contract.
• Touch labor has been reduced by about 75 percent over the last five years.
• Production span time has decreased by about 20 percent since 2015.

The F-35 enterprise met its 2017 delivery target of 66 aircraft, representing more than a 40 percent increase from 2016. In 2018, the team is targeting 91 aircraft deliveries and is preparing to increase production volume year-over-year to hit a rate of approximately 160 aircraft in 2023.

Economic Impact

The F-35 is built by thousands of men and women in America and around the world. With more than 1,500 suppliers in 46 states and Puerto Rico, the F-35 program supports more than 194,000 direct and indirect jobs in the U.S. alone. The program also includes more than 100 international suppliers, creating or sustaining thousands of international jobs.

With stealth technology, supersonic speed, advanced sensors, weapons capacity and range, the F-35 is the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter aircraft ever built. More than a fighter jet, the F-35's ability to collect, analyze and share data is a powerful force multiplier that enhances all airborne, surface and ground-based assets in the battlespace and enables men and women in uniform to execute their mission and return home safe.