Machining Of Wing Bulkhead Started Tuesday
Northrop Grumman Corporation tells ANN production of major
structural components for the first F/A-18F Super Hornet strike
fighter aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) recently
began.
On Tuesday, NGC-supplier GKN Aerospace-Monitor began machining
the first wing bulkhead, one of three titanium bulkheads that hold
the F/A-18 wings in place. The government of Australia is
purchasing 24 F/A-18Fs from the United States in the first
international procurement of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
Northrop Grumman is principal subcontractor to Boeing on the
F/A-18 program. The wing bulkheads will be shipped to Northrop
Grumman's state-of-the-art production facility in El Segundo, CA
where the company produces the F/A-18E/F's center/aft fuselage
section and twin vertical tails and integrates all associated
subsystems. Northrop Grumman expects to begin assembling the first
Super Hornet fuselage shipset for Australia in late March.
"This marks the beginning of a production process that will
deliver unquestionable quality in a frontline aircraft to the Royal
Australian Air Force," said George Vardoulakis, vice president of
F/A-18 Programs for Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector.
"Our suppliers have always been an essential part of the Super
Hornet industry team, and their outstanding performance is a key
element of our success."
Bob Gower, vice president of F/A-18
and EA-18 Programs at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, said
starting structural component construction was the beginning of a
process that would meet the requirements of the RAAF while
delivering proven value and combat capability. "As production
begins on the RAAF Super Hornets, Boeing and the entire Hornet
Industry Team will continue our proven track record of delivering
Super Hornets on schedule and within budget, while continuing to
outdistance the threat," he said.
The F/A-18E/F is the US Navy's combat-proven strike fighter. Its
suite of integrated and networked systems provides enhanced
interoperability, total force support for the combatant commander
and for the troops on the ground. The F/A-18E/F entered service
with the US Navy in 1999, and the Navy is expected to acquire a
minimum of 460 Super Hornets through 2012.
"GKN Aerospace is proud to be a member of the Australian F/A-18F
production team," said Jim Gibson, vice president of sales and
marketing for GKN Aerospace-Aerostructures North America. "We are
fully committed to meeting our customer's requirements and
providing the highest quality assemblies."