Lockheed Martin Expanding F-35 Assembly Line Capacity For Production Ramp Up
November 17, 2015 | Lockheed MartinEstimated reading time: 1 minute
F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin is expanding the capacity of its one-mile, 25-foot long aircraft assembly line facility here so it is capable of producing roughly 200 jets per year by the end of 2019.
The F-35 program will triple its aircraft production and fielding rate by 2019, producing over 120 planes per year. It will deliver about 43 planes next year.
Lockheed Martin is ramping up to a total of 16 mate facilities at full rate production (FRP) from its nine current mate stations, company F-35 Business Development Manager Kevin McCormick said Oct. 28 on a tour of the facility. McCormick said a mate station is where Lockheed Martin brings the four major components of the airframe together: forward, center and aft fuselages and aircraft wings. McCormick said by the time the last of the mate stations is in position by 2018, Lockheed Martin will be at full capacity.
The company manufactures the forward fuselage and wings in Fort Worth while subcontractors BAE Systems makes the aft fuselage in the United Kingdom and Northrop Grumman [NOC] produces the center fuselage in Palmdale, Calif. McCormick said Lockheed Martin utilizes a camera and laser alignment system to get these four major components aligned in a three-dimensional space to minimize steps and gaps. By doing this, the company prevents them from becoming radar reflectors and makes the aircraft low observable.
McCormick said Lockheed Martin is expanding the wing line on the assembly line to make it easier for the company to pick up the aircraft and move it to other mate stations. It currently uses a wing rotation to move the aircraft between mate stations.
Suggested Items
Incap UK Invests in SMT Technology as Part of Long-Term Operational Development
05/23/2025 | IncapIncap Electronics UK has completed the second phase of SMT (surface-mount technology) production lines upgrade at its facility in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
SEMI, Purdue University Launch AI and Data Analysis Online Courses
05/22/2025 | SEMISEMI, the industry association serving the global semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, today announced it has partnered with Purdue University to launch an online course series focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and data analysis techniques for the semiconductor industry.
DuPont to Showcase Advanced Semiconductor Wet Etching Innovations at the Surface Preparation and Cleaning Conference
05/13/2025 | DuPontDuPont announced that it will present its latest developments in semiconductor wet etching technologies at the upcoming Surface Preparation and Cleaning Conference (SPCC) in Chandler, Arizona, beginning May 20.
Global SiC Substrate Revenue Declines 9% in 2024; Long-Term Demand Remains Strong as 8-Inch Roadmap Gains Momentum
05/12/2025 | TrendForceTrendForce’s latest research shows that weakening demand in the automotive and industrial sectors has slowed shipment growth for SiC substrates in 2024.
AEye, LITEON Confirm Production of First Apollo Units from New Manufacturing Line
05/12/2025 | BUSINESS WIREAEye, Inc., a global leader in adaptive, high-performance lidar solutions, announced it has successfully produced the first Apollo lidar sensors from the LITEON manufacturing line in Taipei, Taiwan.