BAE cuts first metal on £25m F-35 contract

The metal cut is for the first production F-35 Lightning II aircraft which will enter into service with the US Air Force in 2010 and follows the production contract announcement made in December last year. The contract is worth £25 million to BAE Systems and will see the production of two conventional take off and landing variants. The component was cut by BAE’s supplier Hyde, at its Manchester factory. The component will move to BAE Systems’ Samlesbury site in Lancashire for further manufacturing work before all parts are assembled together before being shipped to programme partner, Lockheed Martin’s site in Texas for final assembly. Tom Fillingham, F-35 Lightning II Managing Director said: “This is a proud and important moment for BAE Systems. We are progressing well through the development stage of the F-35 Lightning II programme and now, concurrently with development aircraft manufacture, we are producing the first production aircraft. This is a clear signal of how mature the product is at this early stage of its life.” Three versions of the F-35 Lightning II are planned: a conventional take-off and landing (CTOL), a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) and a carrier variant (CV). Each is derived from a common design to ensure that the F-35 JSF 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. The F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), will be the world’s first and only stealthy, supersonic, multi-role fighter and, for the UK’s Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, will replace the Harrier GR9 and Sea Harrier.