Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) delivered the first F-16 aerostructure kits and the 200th F-35 wing assembly to Lockheed Martin, reaching a new milestone in its participation in the U.S. giant’s supply chain.
The Israeli company issued a press release after a ceremony held at its wing assembly line, during which IAI delivered to Lockheed Martin (LM) the first F-16 aerostructure assemblies manufactured at the recently reopened assembly line, including the F-16 conformal fuel tanks. In addition, the wing assembly for the 200th F-35 fighter aircraft, produced by IAI, was also delivered.
IAI is scheduled to produce a total of 811 pairs of F-35A wings, potentially worth more than $2 billion through 2034, following a contract signed in 2011.
IAI operates a state-of-the-art F-35 wing production line, inaugurated in 2014, while continuously investing in automated systems, advanced infrastructure and technologies needed to meet the aircraft’s innovative design. The upper and lower skin of the wings is made of composite materials (RAM materials to reduce radar signature), unique to the F-35, also manufactured by IAI as part of production contracts.
IAI has been manufacturing aerostructures for Lockheed Martin since the 1980s. With the new demand for the F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft, IAI has recently reopened assembly lines for the F-16 wings, vertical surfaces, and shaped fuel tanks.
Prior to reopening the assembly lines, IAI invested in modernizing the infrastructure, improving the working environment, and introducing new tooling to produce F-16 aerostructures fully compliant with LM specifications.
IAI also successfully re-established the supply chain of hardware suppliers to support the assembly lines, tested and verified tooling, conducted necessary first article inspections, and conducted training programs for the F-16 team.
Boaz Levy, IAI President and CEO, said, “Delivering the F-16 aerostructures and the 200th F-35 wing to our partners at Lockheed Martin is a testament to the strong cooperation between our companies, and to the trust Lockheed Martin have given us. IAI’s aerostructures production lines utilize innovative technologies that provide our customers with advanced capabilities. We look forward to many more projects with Lockheed Martin and will continue providing leading solutions to the industry.”
