F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) BAE Systems

During the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase, BAE Systems is involved in two particular areas- airframe and mission systems. A major part of the UK industrial contribution to JSF will come from BAE Systems aircraft manufacturing facilities in Warton and Samlesbury, as well as facilities at Rochester and Edinburgh. BAE Systems North America facilities in Nashua, NH, and Johnson City, NY, also support a significant amount of F-35 JSF involvement for BAE Systems.

The aft fuselage and empennage (tails and fins) for each F-35 JSF are being designed, engineered and built at the BAE Systems Samlesbury site, using the latest in advanced design and manufacturing technology.

The aft-fuselage and empennage will be shipped to Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant in the summer of 2005, where they will be joined with the wing and forward fuselage from Lockheed Martin and the centre fuselage from Northrop Grumman. Assembly of the initial F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant was completed at the end of 2005.

BAE Systems is responsible for the design and delivery of key areas of the vehicle and weapon systems, in particular the fuel system, crew escape, life support system, Prognostics Health Management (PHM) integration and Electro Optical Targeting System (EOTS). BAE Systems also has significant work share in Autonomic Logistics, primarily on the support system side, and is involved in the Integrated Test Force, including the systems flight test and mission systems.

BAE Systems is also responsible for supplying the Vehicle Management Computer, the Communication, Navigation and Identification (CNI) modules, the active stick and throttle and the EOTS Laser subsystem.

BAE Systems facilities in the US & UK are responsible for developing an Alternate Helmet Mounted Display System (AHMDS) as part of the risk mitigation effort for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. BAE Systems has successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) which was funded by the UK Joint Combat Aircraft Integrated Product Team (UK MOD).

Through its Nashua, NH, facility, BAE Systems is responsible for the F-35 JSF's Electronic Warfare (EW) systems suite and is also providing advanced, affordable low-observable apertures and advanced countermeasure systems. Additionally, BAE Systems will provide critical and complex electronic circuits and modelling and simulation capability in support of the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) and production phases of the program.

BAE Systems brings with it a rich heritage of Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) experience from the Harrier program as well as advanced lean manufacturing technology from its facilities at Warton and Samlesbury, UK. BAE Systems has the most modern fighter production line and the most recent experience utilizing and applying digital design due to its manufacturing experience on Typhoon.

BAE Systems is a major UK industrial participant, investing $72M upfront in the Concept Development Phase (CDP) and $65M in UK JSF facilities during SDD.

The SDD phase is estimated to be worth $2.4 billion to BAE Systems in the UK and a further $750 million to BAE Systems North America. Production could be worth $16.5 billion to BAE Systems UK, and a further $4.5 billion in the U.S. These figures do not include export sales, support or other opportunities such as upgrade programs.