Magellan Aerospace has been awarded a contract this past month to produce F-35 Lightning II horizontal tail components in the third lot of Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP). It is the initial contract awarded to Magellan by BAE Systems for F-35 components, valued at $11M Cdn. over a two year period.

Magellan has been participating on the F-35 Lightning II aircraft program from the earliest stages in 2001. Machined details and complex assemblies have been delivered throughout the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase. Magellan is currently producing components for all three of the F-35 variants. The horizontal tails produced at Magellan will be used on the Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL) variant. Currently up to 1038 ship sets of horizontal tails are planned to be produced by Magellan over the life of the F-35 (also known as the Joint Strike Fighter) program.

"As the F-35 program deliveries ramp up, Magellan will be producing half of the CTOL horizontal tails required each year. With program delivery requirements targeted at one a day by 2015, a steady increase in production rates will take place over the next six years," said Jim Butyniec, President and Chief Executive Officer, Magellan Aerospace Corporation. The U.S., and eight nations partnering in the project, plan to acquire 3,173 F-35 fighters.

"Whilst this initial contract is small in its relative size, it establishes the critical first steps on the journey that BAE Systems and Magellan have commenced, which is aimed at developing a robust capability and affordable manufacturing solution at Magellan that will have the essential capacity to support and produce F-35 Horizontal Tail components in Canada", says BAE Systems' International Industrial Participation Programme Manager, John Dunstan.