Vought Wins Contracts for F-35 Static, Durability and Drop Tests.

Business Editors

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 30, 2003

Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. announced today that it has been selected by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. to perform three separate, full-scale tests here on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

The contracts, valued at approximately $26 million, are for static, durability and drop tests on the F-35C carrier version of the aircraft. Full-scale testing for the F-35 is slated to commence in 2006.

"This work will draw upon our extensive history in carrier suitability testing for Navy aircraft," said Erich Smith, Vought's vice president of military and other commercial programs. "We are thrilled to have an expanded role on the JSF team and provide support through our Test Operations Lab in Dallas."

Initial work begins this June with several Vought engineers joining Lockheed Martin's common design team, which will develop similar test fixtures and approaches for the three F-35 versions. BAE is testing the short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B, and Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth is testing the conventional F-35A model. The goal is for all three teams to coordinate efforts and run efficient test programs by sharing test hardware designs, test software and results with each other.

"Vought has a unique carrier landing simulation capability," said Tom Burbage, executive vice president and general manager of the Lockheed Martin F-35 JSF program. "They are a logical pick for these contracts because of their aircraft testing experience, existing test facility and proximity to Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth operations."

As a former prime contractor to the U.S. Navy, Vought designed, built and conducted drop tests on the A-7 and F-8. It also supported Lockheed Martin by providing S-3A drop tests. Vought has performed static and durability tests on a number of other aircraft as well, including the S-3A, EA-6B, B-2, P-3, A-10 wing, Global Hawk wing, C-17 horizontal stabilizer, and F-14 wings and nacelles.

There are different objectives for each of the F-35 tests Vought will perform. For the durability tests, the F-35 will be repeatedly exposed to loads expected during the equivalent of two lifetimes of use. Findings will indicate how durable the aircraft is over time. With the static tests, the F-35 will be subjected to ultimate loads to determine peak strength. During the drop tests, Vought will simulate a free-fall landing on an aircraft carrier to see how well the F-35 withstands typical carrier landing loads.

Last year Vought was awarded F-35 contracts to build the lower wing skins and provide technical support assistance to Lockheed Martin. The F-35 JSF is a stealthy, supersonic, multi-role fighter designed for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as the U.K. Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. It is intended to replace the A-10, the AV-8B Harrier, the F-16, the F/A-18 and the U.K.'s GR.7 and Sea Harrier. The first F-35 is scheduled to be delivered to the U.S. military in 2008.

In other military programs, Vought is a major subcontractor on the C-17 Globemaster III transport and the Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle. The company also produces components for the F/A-22, F-14, F/A-18E/F, C-5, E-8C, S-3, E-2C, T-38, P-3C, V-22 and EA-6B.

Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. (www.voughtaircraft.com) is the world's largest independent supplier of aerostructures. Headquartered in Dallas, the company provides wings, fuselage subassemblies, empennages, nacelles, thrust reversers and other components for prime manufacturers of aircraft. Vought has more than 5,000 employees and annual sales exceeding $1 billion. It has operations in Dallas; Hawthorne, Calif.; Stuart, Fla.; Milledgeville, Ga.; and Perry, Ga.