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BAE SYSTEMS JSF Team receives Aerostar award from Lockheed Martin

18 Jun 2001

BAE Systems has received a prestigious AeroStar award from Lockheed Martin for its part in the development of ground-breaking and innovative technology which will significantly contribute to increasing the low observability capabilities of the Lockheed Martin Team Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). It is the first time an AeroStar has been awarded to non-Lockheed Martin employees.

Tom Burbage, Executive Vice President and General Manager JSF, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, presented the award to the BAE Systems Airframe Team which is part of the Lockheed Martin Team JSF bid. It was accepted by BAE Systems Airframe Team leader John Duxbury and by Chris Boardman, BAE Systems Managing Director with responsibility for the Lockheed Martin JSF programme.

The team, based at BAE Systems Samlesbury in Lancashire, is part of the Lockheed Martin JSF Airframe Team. It produced an aft fuselage ground-based demonstrator, part of the on-going affordability demonstrator programme. This full-sized article shows how the smooth surfaces required for a next generation tactical fighter aircraft can be achieved in production without the traditional post-assembly techniques or recurring maintenance found in existing combat aircraft programmes.

This technological development work is a key part of the process for achieving supportable low observability (LO) and meeting the Lockheed Martin JSF Life Cycle Cost goals and has been adopted for the product as a whole.

The ground-based affordability demonstrator built by BAE Systems is part of a series of five which together are being used to prove the Lockheed Martin Team JSF production approach. They are front fuselage, intake duct, centre fuselage, a wing and rear fuselage demonstrators, all currently situated at the Lockheed Martin Fort Worth facility, Texas. Together these constitute over 80 per cent of the total aircraft structure in weight.

This technology and affordability programme is part of the overall risk reduction exercise being used by Lockheed Martin Team JSF to ensure that it can enter the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase at low risk and reduce costs through the production and lifetime of the aircraft. The data produced has helped establish substantial cost and time-span reductions which demonstrate the advanced manufacturing approach.

Chris Boardman said: “We are very excited about receiving this award, as it is proof of the innovation and technological excellence BAE Systems brings to the Lockheed Martin JSF team. We are building on our experience in advanced lean manufacturing techniques to design and produce a world-class fighter which will become a model smart acquisition programme. The successful results of the technology and affordability programme that this demonstrator is a key part of, show that BAE Systems is a key player in the Lockheed Martin JSF Team.”

Notes to Editors:

About the Lockheed Martin AeroStar Performance Awards:

2001 is the first year for the Lockheed Martin AeroStar Performance Awards. Prior to the consolidation of the three company sites – Fort Worth, Palmdale and Marietta – each had its own awards programme. The purpose of the AeroStar Awards is to provide recognition by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company for an individual or a team of employees who has demonstrated major technical or administrative innovation or expertise. The contribution should have outstanding impact on Cost, Schedule or Quality with a direct impact on current year performance.