INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
WEBSITE baesystems.comAndrea Thompson
F-35 Lightning II Senior Vice-President, BAE Systems
HOW SIGNIFICANT IS BAE
SYSTEMS’ CONTRIBUTION TO
THE OVERALL F-35 DESIGN
AND MANUFACTURING
PROGRAMME?
I believe our contribution is hugely
significant. Taking just our Military Air &
Information business based here in the UK,
you can trace our pedigree and heritage
right to the heart of the F-35. Whether
that’s through the short take-off and
vertical landing capability Harrier brought
to the world, the advanced manufacturing
technologies we brought to the F-35
team or our proven experience in systems
engineering which has seen us have
design responsibility in areas such as fuel,
crew escape and life support systems.
If you add to that the world-leading
electronics provided to the programme
by our US business, which includes vital
elements such as the electronic warfare
suite, active inceptor system flight controls
and vehicle management computers, the
importance of BAE Systems to the F-35
and vice versa is extremely apparent.
And we can’t forget BAE Systems
Australia, which also has a key role in
the programme – they supply both
ourselves and Northrop Grumman.
WHAT IS BAE SYSTEMS’ ROLE
IN PREPARING RAF MARHAM
FOR THE F-35?
BAE Systems is playing an integral role in
ensuring RAF Marham is ready for the
arrival of the UK’s F-35 fleet, which
starts in late 2018. We are well on the
way with constructing three facilities to
support the operation of the F-35 fleet;
a maintenance and finish facility, a logistics
operations centre and an integrated
training centre, with all three scheduled
to be completed early next year.
In addition to our construction
responsibilities and working with our
teammate, Lockheed Martin, we will form a
team of more than 100 skilled technicians
at RAF Marham, which will provide
engineering and technical expertise,
deliver air crew and ground crew training,
facilitate routine maintenance and help
to manage the jets’ global supply chain.
BAE Systems will take the lead
sustainment role for F-35 Lightning in the
UK, with Lockheed Martin continuing as
prime contractor for global operations.
The team is 100% focused on
delivering world-leading facilities at RAF
Marham and ensuring we do all we can to
ensure the F-35 achieves initial operational
capability (IOC) in the UK on schedule.WHAT ROLE WILL BAE SYSTEMS
PLAY IN THE F-35 MRO&U HUB
AT S E AL AN D?
BAE Systems’ world-leading capabilities
in developing and delivering sustainment
solutions, combined with our experience
of working with international customers,
suppliers and partners are undoubtedly
key assets of the F-35 Maintenance, Repair,
Overhaul & Upgrade hub at Sealand. We
are now working with our partners at DECA
and Northrop Grumman to ensure we have
the right structures and operating model
in place to deliver the capabilities required
from the hub when we open for business.HOW WILL ALL THIS
ACTIVITY ENHANCE BAE
SYSTEMS’ PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE RAF?
The F-35 is providing a fantastic platform to
strengthen our already great relationship
with the RAF. Our relationship has shifted
over the past 15 or 20 years from one of
supplier and customer to one that sees
us work side-by-side; not only ensuring
the UK gets world-leading aircraft off
our production lines, but also that
together we deliver support solutions
that help deliver the mission – whether
that’s a training or an operational one.
Working together with the UK
on aircraft such as Hawk, Tornado and
Typhoon, we have set the standard in
availability-based support solutions,
and now, together with our partners
at Lockheed Martin, we are looking to
take our skills and expertise to ensure
the UK gets a support solution for
F-35 that matches the world-leading
performance you get from the aircraft.
Furthermore, we are working
very closely with the UK customer in
ensuring the F-35 and Queen Elizabeth-
class aircraft carriers are integrated. This
includes having UK pilots flying our
bespoke simulator at Warton, which
tests the pilots’ skills to the limits as
they practice landing on the deck of
the carrier in a range of difficult
sea and weather conditions
provided by the simulator.
The data produced will show us
exactly what will happen when F-35
pilots fly to and from the carriers. This
will be invaluable as we get ready for
flight trials from the QE carrier in 2018.
We must also highlight the work
BAE Systems is undertaking in terms
of UK weapons clearance on the F-35- a hugely important programme for
ensuring the UK jets have the capabilities
they require for IOC in 2018.
DELIVERING VITAL SUPPORT