F-35B fuselage production under way by NG

PALMDALE, Calif., Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman announced initial production of the first international F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft fuselage has begun at its Palmdale, Calif., facility.

U.S. company Northrop Grumman has begun production on the center fuselage of the international F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, an F-35B short take off vertical landing, or STOVL, variant.

The fuselage production by Northrop Grumman, part of the industry team led by Lockheed Martin, will support the F-35 STOVL's core structure ahead of eventual delivery to the United Kingdom.

"Through a disciplined approach to managing costs and engineering changes, we're continuing to reduce program risks, which will help the F-35 industry team put jets on the ramp on or before the initial operational need dates of our international partners," Mark Tucker, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems vice president and F-35 program manager, said in a statement.