Lockheed plant produces 200th F-35 center wing assembly

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin reports its manufacturing facility in Marietta, Ga., has produced its 200th center wing assembly for F-35 fighters.

The CWA, to which the plane's wings are attached during final assembly, makes up about one-quarter of the aircraft's fuselage.

The 200th CWA was completed in January, Lockheed Martin said, and "delivered to the Fort Worth, Texas, F-35 production line ... marking a major milestone."

About 350 employees at the Marietta facility are assigned to F-35 work. In addition to assembling the CWAs, technicians also apply specialized coatings to the aircraft's horizontal and vertical tail assemblies and to spare and repaired doors, panels and covers.

The current production rate for CWAs at Marietta is one every 3.5 manufacturing days, Lockheed Martin said.