Northrop Grumman Delivers Center Fuselage for First Israeli F-35 Aircraft
November 18 2015 - 11:00AM
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has delivered, on schedule,
the center fuselage for the first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to be
purchased by Israel, an F-35A conventional takeoff and landing
(CTOL) variant designated AS-1.
A core structure of the F-35 aircraft, the center fuselage was
produced on Northrop Grumman's F-35 Integrated Assembly Line at its
Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence.
"The delivery of the AS-1 center fuselage is a significant
addition to the growing list of allied countries that have invested
in owning and fielding the fifth generation F-35 aircraft," said
Brian Chappel, vice president and F-35 program manager, Northrop
Grumman Aerospace Systems. "It also adds momentum to the success of
our highly automated Integrated Assembly Line, which is helping
increase the production rate, quality and affordability of the F-35
program."
To date, Northrop Grumman has completed center fuselages for
F-35 customers in eight countries including the U.S.
As a principal member of the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 industry
team, Northrop Grumman designed and produces the center fuselage
for all three F-35 variants: the F-35A; the F-35B short takeoff
vertical landing variant; and the F-35C carrier variant.
The company produced the AS-1 center fuselage as part of the
eighth low rate initial production lot of F-35s. AS-1 is the 39th
center delivered by Northrop Grumman from Palmdale this year.
Israel has ordered 33 F-35As under the U.S. government's foreign
military sales program. These jets are similar to the F-35As
produced for F-35 international partner countries, except they will
require minor software and hardware modifications to accommodate
several Israel-provided avionics components.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics will perform final assembly and
checkout of the F-35s in Fort Worth, Texas. The first Israeli F-35
is slated for delivery in 2016.
Northrop Grumman plays a key role in the development and
production of the F-35 weapons system. In addition to producing the
jet's center fuselage, the company produces key F-35 radar,
electro-optical, avionics and communications subsystems. It also
develops mission systems and mission-planning software; develops
and maintains pilot and maintainer training systems courseware; and
manages the team's use, support and maintenance of low-observable
technologies.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing
innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems,
cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and
commercial customers worldwide. Please visit
www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
CONTACT: Brooks McKinney, APR
310-812-4964 office
310-864-3785 mobile
brooks.mckinney@ngc.com
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