17 July, 2018: GKN Aerospace has signed a contract with Lockheed Martin to increase production of bulkheads for the F-35 Lightning II programme through 2023. The bulkheads are a critical structure for the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) and carrier variants (CV). They require among the longest lead time of any F-35 part and are made from some of the largest titanium forgings of any aircraft.
The four-year contract is another milestone in a long-term business relationship between GKN Aerospace and Lockheed Martin. In the present day, GN Aerospace provides the F-35 with critical engine components, electrical wiring interconnection systems, the cockpit canopy and advanced composite aerostructures. It also holds contracts to deliver the in-flight opening doors and the landing gear drag brace and maintains and services the landing gear for the F-35 fleet in Europe and the Pacific.