Finmeccanica To Produce Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Wings

Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, has been awarded a USD 141 million contract by

Lockheed Martin for the production of components and for the assembly of the first complete wing for

the F-35 JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) programme.

The $382 billion F-35 Joint Strike fighter program may well be the largest single global defense program in history. This major multinational program is intended to produce cutting-edge technologies to the battlespace of the future. The JSFs advanced airframe, autonomic logistics, avionics, propulsion systems, stealth, and firepower will ensure that the F-35 is the most affordable, lethal, supportable and survivable aircraft ever to be used by so many warfighters across the globe.

The  development partners included The USA & Britain, Italy and the Netherlands, and Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Turkey, with Singapore and Israel as “Security Cooperation Partners,” and Japan as the 1st export customer. Israel and Japan already placed orders.

Alenia Aermacchi will provide components for the JSF central fuselage, wing and wing box. The

components will be produced at Alenia Aermacchi’s plants in Foggia and Nola, as well as at its newly

opened plant in Cameri, Italy. The contract also includes non-recurring activities of up to USD 60

million for production tools.

Alenia Aermacchi manages the second wing production line of the JSF programme. The other production line is managed by Lockheed Martin.