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News archive: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

Every Bulletin story and press release covering Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, newest first.

Whole archive

24 items

5 March

Major airframers lean on CPI experience

CPI Aerostructures has gained repeat orders from two major airframers recently - for engine inlet assemblies on the Phenom 300 and canisters for the F-16 - and picked up pod production for Raytheon.

20 November 2025 The F‑22 issued in-flight commands to the MQ‑20 through a tablet and Lockheed Martin’s GRACE module.

Fighter and drone cooperate in Nevada crewed-uncrewed test

An F-22 and MQ-20 flew in coordination to demonstrate open-architecture control using government-owned communication systems and shared radio integration.

16 October 2025

Belgium strengthens F-35 industrial role with P&W partnership

An agreement between Belgium, Pratt & Whitney, Safran Aero Boosters and BMT Aerospace will deepen industrial cooperation and secure long-term economic benefits from the F-35 programme.

14 August 2025 The multinational will establish a  research lab and training space in the Philippines.

Lockheed Martin extends F-16 partnership with Philippines

Working with Southern Methodist University enables technology transfer, workforce development and research facilities, supporting economic growth and defence priorities.

10 July 2024 BAE Systems has delivered more than 1,700 radar warning receivers for F-16 Fighting Falcons and C-130Js over three decades, providing situational awareness and self-defense capabilities that have proven themselves in combat.

BAE Systems provides advanced radar warning receivers to USAF

The AN/ALR-56M provides broad-spectrum, long-range threat detection and adaptive filtering to isolate threat signals in dense signal environments.

28 March 2024 The landing gear doors project is a key element of the F-35's industrial participation solution in Finland to transfer technical and manufacturing experience in 5th Generation aircraft production.

Patria lands contract for F-35 landing gear doors

A new production line at Patria's Halli facility in Jämsä, Finland, will manufacture 400 sets of landing gear doors for the F-35 global fleet.

13 September 2023 BAE Systems’ next-generation vehicle management computer was successfully flight tested on the F-35 Lighting II aircraft. (Photo: BAE Systems).

Latest F-35 vehicle management computer takes flight

The new level of computing power allows for additional aircraft capabilities while reducing pilot workload. It also adds advanced mission capabilities to the VMC such as JPALS and Auto Ground Collision Avoidance System.

8 June 2023 A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was agreed at the recently concluded International Defense and Security Technologies Fair (IDET) in Brno, Czech Republic.

Honeywell's Czech business seeks greater role in F-35

The intention is to provide localisation of support which reduces turnaround time, lowers the spares pool, provides operational flexibility and increased aircraft availability.

6 April 2023 BAE Systems has received $491 million to produce state-of-the-art Block 4 electronic warfare (EW) systems for future F-35 Lightning II fighter jets.

Latest Lightning EW system extends situational awareness

The AN/ASQ-239 system for Block 4 Lightnings is designed and manufactured at BAE Systems' facilities in Manchester, New Hampshire and Nashua, New Hampshire.

16 February 2023 The extended flight by an AI agent took place as part of a series of tests in December.

Converted F-16 flies 17 hours under control of AI

Developed by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in collaboration with Calspan for the USAF test pilot school, the VISTA X-62A uses open systems architecture, and can mimic the performance characteristics of other aircraft.

19 January 2023 Northrop Grumman is developing the next generation radar for the F-35 Lightning II.

Northrop Grumman sets to work on future F-35 radar

The AN/APG-85 is an advanced multifunction sensor that will be compatible with all variants of the F-35 aircraft and will be capable of defeating current and projected adversarial air and surface threats.

15 June 2022 IAI recently reopened the assembly lines for the F-16 wings, vertical fins and conformal fuel tanks. Photo: Lockheed Martin.

IAI marks aerostructure delivery milestones

IAI is scheduled to produce 811 pairs of F-35A wings, with a potential value of over $2 billion by 2034, and recently reopened the assembly lines for the F-16 wings, vertical fins and conformal fuel tanks.

24 February 2022 The F-16.

Reactivated IAI line resumes F-16 wing deliveries

Prior to reopening the F-16 wing and fin lines, IAI invested in modernising infrastructure, improving the work environment, and introducing new tools to produce fully compliant aerostructures.

2 February 2022 Lockheed Martin’s LMXT strategic tanker is offered as an American-built, allied interoperable solution for the U.S. Air Force’s KC-Y program.

Lockheed Martin's LMXT will be made in Mobile and Marietta

The LMXT is produced as an A330 airliner at Airbus' Mobile, Alabama facility then fly to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' Marietta, Georgia, for conversion into the tanker role.

2 December 2021 Global interest is high for new-build F-16 with orders already secured from Bahrain, Bulgaria, Slovakia and two other international customers.

Lockheed Martin looks to Poland for major F-16 assemblies

PZL Mielec last manufactured jet powered aircraft more than 20 years ago. Now it will build the rear fuselage, centre fuselage, cockpit structure, cockpit side panel and forward equipment bay for all F-16s.

25 November 2021 PPG created ramp seals for the C-130J Super Hercules via additive manufacturing using a patented ambient reactive extrusion (ARE) technology called PPG ARE.

First 3D printed ramp seals produced for C-130J

PPG created six sets of custom-designed ramp seals for the C-130J Super Hercules airlifter using its patented ambient reactive extrusion (ARE) technology. This is PPG's first commercial sale of 3D printed components.

23 September 2021 Lockheed Martin’s LMXT strategic tanker is being offered as an American-built solution for the U.S. Air Force’s KC-Y Program.

Lockheed Martin makes its pitch for USAF tanker program

Built in America by Americans, Lockheed Martin's contender for the US Air Force's future tanker requirements is an adaptation of the proven Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport.

2 September 2021 The F-16 wing production line at the IAI facilities.

IAI restarts the line to meet F-16 wing demand

Continuing demand for the F-16 has led to a resumption in production of wings by IAI, alongside those for the F-35 and T-38. Lockheed Martin is on the lookout for further expanded cooperation with Israel in the future.

24 March 2021 L3Harris designed Viper Shield to provide U.S. and global coalition partners with cutting-edge countermeasures against sophisticated, ever-changing threats.

Lockheed Martin selects L3Harris for F-16 countermeasures

The baseline version of the Viper Shield electronic warfare system is integrated into the aircraft fuselage, saving space for additional capability such as a fuel pod that could be attached externally.

17 December 2020 Fastems will continue to collaborate with Lockheed Martin on the production of the F-35.

Lockheed Martin selects Fastems for laser cleaner robot

Fastems' AutoSLC solution is based on a robotised system, which is equipped with a laser ablation scan head, designed to automatically remove primers and other protective coatings from F-35 wing components.

29 October 2020 An artist's impression of BAE Systems' proposed attritable UAVs alongside the controlling aircraft.

USAF selects BAE for prototype attritable systems

Multiple vendors have now been lined up to compete for up to $400 million in orders in support of the Skyborg Vanguard Program. BAE Systems has started work at its Endicott facility.

17 September 2020 Elbit Systems- Cyclone will supply Forward Equipment Bay assemblies for the F-35. (Photo: Elbit Systems)

Elbit extends composite assembly work for F35

Elbit is involved in the Lockheed Martin F35's helmet mounted display systems, the development of the panoramic cockpit display, power amplifiers and 22 different structural assemblies.

28 July 2020

Avcorp F-35 outboard wing deal extended to 2022

The Carrier Variant of the F-35 needs foldable wings in order to fit into the ship's hangars. Avcorp assembles the outboard section, and reckons these are some of the more complex aircraft assemblies made in Canada.

15 June 2020 Triumph will supply hydraulic utility actuation (HUA) valves to the F-35 program. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

Lockheed Martin extends Triumph HUA valve contract

The HUA valves Triumph manufactures for the F-35 program provide directional flow control for hydraulic systems that provide critical aircraft functions. Lockheed Martin is happy to continue buying.