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LM steps up production on F-35 Lightning II |
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Wednesday, 20 August 2008 |
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With some 20 aircraft in various stages of production, Lockheed Martin has announced completion of the fourth F-35 Lightning II.
Aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Martin (LM) is ramping up production of its F-35 Lightning II and has just completed assembly of the fourth short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) jet.
The company currently has one F-35 aircraft in structural testing, two in flight test, six in final assembly and a further 14 in various other stages of production.
Dan Crowley, executive vice-president of the F-35 programme at LM, explained the significance of the milestone.
"The completion of our fourth F-35 - and the growing line of aircraft now forming behind it - shows an emerging rhythm in our production line," he said.
"In just a few days we will have all three Lightning II variants in final assembly when we take delivery of the first F-35C carrier variant center fuselage."
The new aircraft will undergo an extensive round of ground tests before it embarks on flight testing in 2009.
The first F-35B made its inaugural flight on June 11th. It was powered by Pratt & Whitney's F135STOVL propulsion system and remained in the air for 51 minutes. |
