Lockheed Martin has signed a memorandum of agreement identifying Dutch company Fokker Elmo as the supplier of wiring harnesses for its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Stork Aerospace company will provide production capabilities, support and sustaining engineering during the aircraft's low-rate initial production phase.
The partners have also agreed to work jointly to bring to fruition the best values from the total integrated wiring system (TIWS), which will support full-rate production of the type.
With a potential value of up to $2 billion, the agreement represents the largest Dutch industrial co-operation agreement to date on the JSF programme.
The TIWS includes wiring management, configuration management, procurement and logistics, plus product support, set-up and management of all wiring production.
The manufacturing of the complex wiring harnesses is performed in the Netherlands and in the global supply chain, including at Fokker Elmo in Turkey.
This single focal point approach will provide the best value to the programme, achieve F-35 affordability goals and safeguard the timely delivery of the wiring harnesses around the globe, the company says.
Lockheed has agreed to use Fokker Elmo's advanced toolset to continue tight collaboration between design and manufacturing functions, and to allow for maximum savings potential.
The TIWS agreement represents one of the most important growth opportunities for Fokker Elmo, which also owns facilities in China, the Netherlands and the USA.
Selected in 2003 for the development and prototype manufacturing of F-35 wiring systems, the company has since the early 1980s had a relationship with Lockheed through producing wiring harnesses for its F-16 fighter.
Source: Flight International
