Northrop Grumman Corporation marked the 900th center fuselage delivery on Feb. 14. Utilizing the company’s Integrated Assembly Line (IAL), F-35 center fuselages are delivered across three unique aircraft variants. The IAL is a world-class production facility using the latest in automation and robotics to deliver on large aircraft production efforts at scale. Northrop Grumman is a principal partner to Lockheed Martin Corporation in the design, development, production and sustainment of this multirole fighter for the United States and its allies. Northrop Grumma is developing producing and sustsaining 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)
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. The program’s hallmarks – affordability, survivability, sustainability and lethality – are achieved through the use of the most modern military aircraft technologies, state-of-the-art production facilities, and a high degree of commonality among the three variants. The team is using advanced manufacturing techniques to enable a unique, high-rate production program and innovative, cost effective solutions to deliver affordable sustainment for the long term.
Northrop Grumman plays a critical role in the development, demonstration, production and sustainment of this multirole fighter, including:
The development of mission systems and mission-planning software
The development and delivery of pilot and maintenance training system courseware
The management of the team’s use, support and maintenance of low-observable technologies
The delivery of sustainment and modernization support to F-35 users, driving improvements to the enterprise-level sustainment solution through focused analysis, engagement, and innovation to reduce cost while increasing mission availability
The design and production of the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) fire control radar, which brings unmatched capability to air-to-air and air-to-surface missions, complemented by significant electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance functions. The Northrop Grumman AN/ASQ-242 Communications, Navigation and Identification (CNI) avionics suite, which can be dynamically programmed to arm the F-35 pilot with multiple-mission capabilities engineered for seamless transition from one mission phase to the next. The Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS), which provides simultaneous modes of situational awareness, infrared search and track, missile warning and navigation not available on any other aircraft.
