Air Power 2017

AIR POWER 2017 107

21 ST CENTURY CAPABILITIES

21 ST CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS

and T2 aircraft from the fleet of 74 aircraft are available

every day to meet the RAF’s flying demands. This is

done through our maintenance service at RAF Valley

and RAF Leeming – the home of the UK’s Hawk fleet

• as well as providing spares and technical support.”
  Mark Turner, Support and Training Director,
  reinforces this by adding, “Across our business, we are
  working alongside the RAF and our industry partners to
  help deliver a whole force approach to ensure not only
  Hawk availability but that the aircraft can deliver the
  required mission. It is about ensuring we are continually
  building on the strength and experience of each partner
  to deliver a safe and sustainable service delivery.”

ONGOING SUPPORT

The final piece of the support jigsaw came with the

award of two new contracts to support the F-35

Lightning, the next addition to the UK’s front-line

air power. BAE Systems will lead a team of more

than 100 skilled technicians, including their partners

at Lockheed Martin, to provide engineering and

technical expertise, deliver air-crew and ground-

crew training, facilitate routine maintenance and

help to manage the jets’ global supply chain.

Based in purpose-built facilities that have been

created over the past two years at RAF Marham by a

team led by BAE Systems, these experts will ensure 617

Squadron – the Dambusters – has everything it requires

from day one of the aircraft’s entry into service. This

initial two-year contract to support the stand-up of

facilities at Marham not only builds on our pedigree of

supporting the Tornado fleet from the station, it also

deepens our involvement in the F-35 programme.

F-35 Support Director Steve Worsnip explains, “Our

advanced manufacturing and engineering expertise

has helped to develop the aircraft’s capabilities and

this will continue as we ensure the UK is ready and

able to use these capabilities to their full potential.”

BAE Systems is also partnered with Northrop

Grumman and the UK’s Defence Electronics and

Components Agency (DECA) to create a repair hub.

From 2018, this will see the partnership providing

Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul & Upgrade (MRO&U)

services on avionics and aircraft components

for the European fleet of F-35 aircraft. Worsnip is

excited about the future of this support package:

“The award of this contract is further recognition

of our advanced military aircraft support skills and

capabilities, and we look forward to continuing to

support the F-35 fleet both at home and abroad

as it develops over the coming decades.”

BAE Systems will lead a team

of more than 100 skilled

technicians to provide

engineering expertise

BAE Systems is
leading a team
to build the new
facilities for the
RAF’s F-35 Lightning
fast jet fleet at
RAF Marham
(PHOTO: BAE SYSTEMS)