Turkey is Making Herself Heard with her Participation at the F-35 Program
Lockheed Martin hosted a special award ceremony within the framework of IDEF 2013 Fair with the participation of 10 major companies contributing greatly to the international manufacturing of the 5th generation combat aircraft F-35. Lockheed Martin Vice President of F-35 Program Integration and Business Development Steve O’Bryan mentioned that their relations with Turkey was growing stronger with each F-35 production at the ceremony organized with the participation of Undersecretary for Defence Industries Murad Bayar on behalf of the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries that lead the progress and leap of the Turkish industry through its leadership and vision.
Lockheed Martin hosted a special signature ceremony at the IDEF with the participation of following companies contributing to the international manufacturing of F-35 Lightning II and development of improved Turkish SOM equipment: Alp Havacılık, Aselsan, Ayesaş, Fokker Elmo, Havelsan, Kale Havacılık, Mikes, Roketsan, TAI and TÜBİTAK Sage. In his speech at the signing ceremony Lockheed Martin Vice President of F-35 Program Integration and Business Development Steve O’Bryan said, “Lockheed Martin attaches great importance to the partnerships established with the Turkish government, armed forces and industry on the F-16 and C-130 at last quarter century. This relation is growing stronger with each production of F-35 achieved with the contribution of Turkey”.
Turkish Industry Assuming Important Roles within the scope of F-35 Program
Alp Havacılık, which has been supporting the program since 2004, manufactures structural parts and assemblies of airframe, landing gear components and F135 motor integrated titanium wing rotors for engines. Meanwhile Aselsan works in cooperation with Northrop Grumman that develops production approaches for improved optical components as a part of F-35 Electro Optical Target System on F-35 CNI Avionic Electronic Interface Control Apparatus. Aselsan shall assume an important share of work from full scaled production activities in the near future. Ayesaş shall be the single supplier of the two main components of F-35: the missile remote control interface and panoramic cabin monitor electronic cards. Fokker Elmo that manufactures 40 % of F-35 Electrical Wiring and Interconnection System (EWIS) shall support TAI with all her central unit wiring systems. Fokker Elmo shall also develop an EWIS of which the large part manufactured in the facilities in İzmir for the engine. Havelsan that has been supporting the F-35 training systems within the scope of the program since 2005 will assume a leading role for the development of training systems regarding the Turkish F-35 Integrated Pilot and Maintenance Training Center and related training systems in Turkey. Kale Havacılık that has been manufacturing the F-35 airframe structural parts and mechanisms with TAI since 2005 shall continue to increase its share of work by establishing a joint venture with Pratt & Whitney company in İzmir for the production of engine harnesses. Mikes that has been supporting the F-35 Program since 2004 provides F-35 aircraft components and assemblies for British Aerospace Engineering (BAE) and Northrop Grumman. Roketsan together with TÜBİTAK-Sage conducts the development, integration and manufacturing of precision guided Stand-Off Missile (SOM) that will be used internally at the 5.generation combat aircraft F-35.
TAI, offering strategic support for the F-35 Program and providing the hardware used in all F-35 aircrafts since 2008, executes the manufacturing of fiber composite air inlet ducts and manufactures and installs central fuselage for aircrafts, composite external cover and blister lids with Northrup Grumman. TAI manufactures approximately 50 % of the Alternative Mission Equipment including the air to ground pylons and adapters and in line with the strategic agreement made with Pratt and Whitney aims to become a leader in the country and region for FACO and MRO&U in the coming period. Moreover, TAI has been selected for representing the organic warehouses of Turkish Armed Forces within the scope of the Autonomic Logistic Global Support (ALGS) system.
