A new, £11 million pound, state-of-the-art production facility, that will be used to produce major assemblies for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been officially opened at BAE SYSTEMS Samlesbury.

The facility, where aft fuselages and tails will be assembled for the JSF, the world’s largest defence contract, was officially opened by Major General Hudson, Program Executive Officer and Program Director, JSF, the man responsible for running the program on behalf the US Department of Defense.

The new facility is equipped with the latest in manufacturing technology, including a flexible flooring system, which was pioneered on the Typhoon assembly line at Samlesbury.

Construction of the facility was completed on schedule and JSF major assemblies will start to be produced in the near future. The first fully assembled aft fuselage is on schedule to be shipped in late 2004.

Tom Fillingham, Vice President and Deputy Program Manager, JSF, at BAE SYSTEMS said: “The opening of this facility marks a great step forward for the JSF programme, BAE SYSTEMS and in particular Samlesbury and its employees. The investment the company has made in this facility is an indication of the importance that BAE SYSTEMS places on the F-35 JSF programme.

“The advanced manufacturing technologies and techniques in evidence within this facility are part of the reason why BAE SYSTEMS Samlesbury, is key to the JSF programme.”

Major General Hudson added: “It was a great honour to open this new world-leading facility. The technology and people based at BAE SYSTEMS are an integral part of the team delivering the world’s most advanced multi-role stealth combat aircraft, the F-35 JSF.”

About F-35 JSF:
Along with its principal industrial partners BAE SYSTEMS and Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) for the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as the UK’s Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, to replace the A-10, the AV-8 Harrier, F-16 and the F/A-18 in current service with the two nations. Three variants of the aircraft are being developed. The three variants feature a high degree of commonality, with each being tailored to meet any unique requirements of each service:

• a conventional takeoff and landing aircraft (CTOL) for the US Air Force, which features a larger internal weapons bay and greater internal fuel capacity, whilst the low-observable design gives greater stealth;


• a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant, for the US Marine Corps and the UK, which features a shaft-driven lift fan propulsion system that multiplies vertical thrust, enhancing short takeoff and landing performance without any compromise to the fighter ability of the aircraft;


• a carrier takeoff and landing (CV) aircraft, for the US Navy, which has increased internal fuel capacity for greater combat striking range. Larger wing tail surfaces enable superior, carrier-suitable handling qualities.

About BAE SYSTEMS in the North West:
BAE SYSTEMS plays a leading role in the North West, where it sits at the heart of a defence cluster of national importance. With a turnover of £4bn and sustaining more than 30,000 jobs in the area, BAE SYSTEMS' North West sites are key to both the overall success of the company and the UK's ability to defend itself. At sites including Warton, Samlesbury, Chadderton, Blackburn, Chorley, Woodford and Barrow some of the company's most important programmes are undertaken, from air systems such as Eurofighter Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter to Tornado, Hawk and Nimrod, along with sea systems including the Type 45 destroyer and the Astute submarine. Recognising the importance of the region, BAE SYSTEMS has made annual site investments over the past five years of between £60M and £150M.

About BAE SYSTEMS:
BAE SYSTEMS is an international company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced defence and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea and in space. The company designs, manufactures and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, radar, avionics, communications, electronics and guided weapon systems. It is a pioneer in technology with a heritage stretching back hundreds of years. It is at the forefront of innovation, working to develop the next generation of intelligent defence systems.

BAE SYSTEMS has major operations across five continents and customers in some 130 countries. The company has more than 90,000 people and generates annual sales of approximately £12 billion through its wholly-owned and joint venture operations.

BAE SYSTEMS, innovating for a safer world.

For further information, please contact:
Paul Earnshaw, BAE SYSTEMS, JSF
Tel: +44 (0) 1772 855572 or +44 (0) 1254 768674

Issued by:
BAE SYSTEMS, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 6YU, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 384605 Fax: +44 (0) 1252 383947
www.baesystems.com

Ref: 166/2003