FARNBOROUGH, England, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- British company BAE Systems will be designing and making the aft fuselage and empennage for the F-35 Lightning.
The company said in a statement last week it would be making the aft fuselage and empennage for every one of the three F-35 variants, "as well as key areas of the vehicle and mission systems, in particular the fuel system, crew escape, life support system and prognostics health management integration." The F-35 is also known as the Joint Strike Fighter.
BAE Systems said it also had "significant work share in autonomic logistics, primarily on the support system side, and is involved in the Integrated Test Force, including the systems flight test and mission systems."
"Three versions of the F-35 Lightning II are planned: a conventional take-off and landing -- CTOL, a short take-off and vertical landing -- STOVL -- and a carrier variant -- CV. Each is derived from a common design, and will ensure that the F-35 JSF meets the performance needs of the US Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and allied defense forces worldwide, while staying within strict affordability targets," the company said.
"The F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, will be the world's first and only stealthy, supersonic, multi-role fighter. The F-35 is being developed for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps to replace the AV-8B Harrier, A-10, F-16 and the F/A-18 Hornet and for the UK's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy to replace the Harrier GR.7 and Sea Harrier," BAE Systems said.
BAE Systems describes itself as "the premier global defense and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. With 96,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded 15 billion pounds -- $27 billion in 2006."
