Lockheed Martin received a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) on March 31 valued at over $145 million to manufacture components for five additional F-2 production aircraft. MHI is the prime contractor for the F-2, Japan's operational support fighter.

"With over 60 F-2 production aircraft in service in Japan, Lockheed Martin's focus is now twofold: to continue to deliver aircraft components and other systems that meet the needs of MHI and the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) and to provide the necessary support that ensures the full operational capability of the F-2 fleet," said Jim Shidler, Lockheed Martin F-2 program director. "We continue to provide quality products on or ahead of schedule to MHI, and we are also supporting MHI and the JASDF as they incorporate, for example, the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) onto the F-2."

This new award brings the total aircraft under contract to 81. Lockheed Martin is producing components for 76 F-2 aircraft from those orders initiated under the nine previous annual contracts. The company will continue to provide all the aft fuselages, wing leading-edge flaps and stores management systems; 80 percent of all left-hand wing boxes; and other avionics and avionics support equipment. Lockheed Martin components are shipped to MHI's Komaki-South facility in Nagoya, Japan, where they are assembled by MHI with other components to form the F-2.

"Japan selected the Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet in 1987 as the basis for the joint Japan/U.S. design of a new support fighter for the JASDF, and with the incorporation of new systems, such as the JDAM, the F-2 is now demonstrating the flexibility to evolve and satisfy changing tactical requirements," said Shidler. "In 2000, the Japan Defense Agency's Technical Research and Development Institute completed extensive flight tests in Japan of four prototype aircraft, designated XF-2, and MHI delivered the first production aircraft to the Japan Defense Agency (JDA) in September 2000."

Lockheed Martin successfully completed component deliveries for its eighth annual production contract with MHI in December 2005. Delivery of major components for their ninth contract signed last year began last month. This year's contract is effective immediately with deliveries expected to begin in March 2007. Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 350 major airframe, avionics, and avionics support equipment components in this successful partnership with MHI since component deliveries began in late 1998.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2005 sales of over $37 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company