Airframe and Major Structural Components:
Forward Fuselage and Wings:
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Location: Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Country of Origin: United States
Details: Lockheed Martin is responsible for the forward fuselage and wings, as well as final assembly of the F-35.
Center Fuselage:
Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman
Locations: Palmdale, California, USA; Weeze, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Countries of Origin: United States; Germany
Details: Northrop Grumman produces the center fuselage at its Palmdale facility. Additionally, a new facility in Weeze, Germany, operated by Rheinmetall, is planned to produce fuselage sections.
Aft Fuselage and Tails:
Manufacturer: BAE Systems
Location: Samlesbury, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Details: BAE Systems is responsible for the aft fuselage and tail assemblies.
Propulsion System:
Engine (Pratt & Whitney F135):
Manufacturer: Pratt & Whitney
Location: Middletown, Connecticut, USA
Country of Origin: United States
Details: The F135 engine powers all F-35 variants.
LiftSystem (F-35B Variant):
Manufacturer: Rolls-Royce
Locations: Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Bristol, United Kingdom
Countries of Origin: United States; United Kingdom
Details: The Rolls-Royce LiftSystem provides vertical lift capability for the F-35B variant.
Avionics and Sensors:
Radar System (AN/APG-81 AESA Radar):
Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Country of Origin: United States
Details: Northrop Grumman supplies the AN/APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for the F-35.
Ejection Seat:
Model: US16E Ejection Seat
Manufacturer: Martin-Baker
Location: Higher Denham, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Details: Martin-Baker provides the US16E ejection seat for the F-35.
Additional Components and Suppliers:
Composite Components:
Manufacturer: Terma
Location: Grenaa, Denmark
Country of Origin: Denmark
Details: Terma supplies over 80 mission-critical composite parts, including leading edges for horizontal tails and composite skins for stabilizers.
Various Components:
Manufacturers: Multiple UK-based companies
Locations: Various locations across the United Kingdom
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Details: Approximately 15% of each F-35 is manufactured in the UK, involving companies that produce components such as advanced targeting lasers and other critical parts
Landing Gear:
Main and Nose Landing Gear:
Manufacturer: Goodrich Corporation (now part of Collins Aerospace)
Location: Various facilities in the United States
Country of Origin: United States
Details: Goodrich serves as the landing gear integrator for all three F-35 variants, responsible for the design and production of the main and nose landing gear systems.
Arresting Hook System (F-35C Variant):
Manufacturer: GKN Fokker Landing Gear
Location: Helmond, Netherlands
Country of Origin: Netherlands
Details: GKN Fokker designed, developed, and produces the arresting hook system for the carrier-based F-35C variant, which has been redesigned for enhanced performance.
Landing Gear Components:
Manufacturer: Air Industries Group
Location: Bay Shore, New York, USA
Country of Origin: United States
Details: Air Industries manufactures landing gear components for all three F-35 variants, contributing to the aircraft’s critical structural systems.
Landing Gear Doors:
Manufacturer: Patria
Location: Jämsä, Finland
Country of Origin: Finland
Details: Patria has been contracted to produce 400 sets of landing gear doors for the global F-35 fleet, enhancing Finland’s role in the program’s supply chain.
Wing Components:
Wing Assemblies:
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Location: Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Country of Origin: United States
Details: Lockheed Martin is responsible for the assembly of the F-35’s wings, utilizing advanced manufacturing techniques to ensure precision and performance.
Wing Skins and Components:
Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman
Location: Various facilities in the United States
Country of Origin: United States
Details: Northrop Grumman fabricates upper and lower wing skins, inlet ducts, and engine nacelles using automated fiber placement technology, contributing to the aircraft’s advanced airframe.
Composite Wing Components:
Manufacturer: Terma
Location: Grenaa, Denmark
Country of Origin: Denmark
Details: Terma supplies over 80 mission-critical parts for the F-35, including composite skins for the vertical and horizontal stabilizers, as well as leading edges for the horizontal tails.
Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO):
Global Support Network:
Lead Contractor: Lockheed Martin
Locations: Multiple facilities worldwide, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Italy
Details: The F-35 program employs a global sustainment strategy, with regional MRO hubs established to support the aircraft’s maintenance and operational readiness. These facilities provide services such as airframe and engine maintenance, component repair, and software updates.
European Regional Depot:
Facility: FACO (Final Assembly and Check Out)
Location: Cameri, Italy
Country of Origin: Italy
Details: The Cameri FACO serves as a key MRO hub for European F-35 operators, offering assembly, maintenance, and upgrade capabilities.
Asia-Pacific Regional Depot:
Facility: BAE Systems Australia
Location: Williamtown, New South Wales, Australia
Country of Origin: Australia
Details: BAE Systems Australia operates an MRO facility to support F-35 operations in the Asia-Pacific region, providing maintenance and sustainment services to ensure fleet readiness.
Power Electronics:
Supplier: Wolfspeed, Inc. (formerly Cree, Inc.)
Details: In 2015, Wolfspeed was awarded a $4.1 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to develop and qualify high-performance silicon carbide (SiC) power electronic modules for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. These modules are designed to enhance the aircraft’s electrical systems by providing higher efficiency and power density compared to traditional silicon-based electronics.
Surge Protection Components:
Supplier: MDE Semiconductor, Inc.
Details: MDE’s 5.0SMLJ series Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) diodes are utilized for on-board surge protection in the F-35’s cockpit electronics, safeguarding sensitive circuits against voltage transients and ensuring operational reliability.
