News Review: Kongsberg to build JSF rudder parts | ADM Oct 2010

Norwegian aerospace company Kongsberg has signed a NOK270 million contract with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics to manufacture 62 shipsets of titanium and composite tail fin and rudder components for the F-35C carrier-borne variant of the Joint Strike Fighter.

Norway is one of the nine JSF partner nations and its air force recently confirmed its choice of the Conventional Take-Off & Landing (CTOL) F-35A as the replacement for its ageing F-16A/B fighters.

According to Harald Ånnestad, President of Kongsberg Defence Systems, the contract is an extension of an existing framework agreement signed in 2008, which now also includes the F-35C.

The framework agreement could see Kongsberg produce up to 3,200 ship sets of composite parts for the F-35, he said.

“We now have agreements on production of parts to all three versions of the F-35, which confirms that we have managed to establish a world-leading unit for advance composite production.

“Deliveries to the aircraft are under strict requirements for quality, and I am very happy that we meet those requirements,” Ånnestad said.