F-35 Lightning II fighter jet production hits key milestone

Production for a batch of new F-35 Lightning II fighter jets reached an important milestone recently.

As the 318th rear section for a new combat jet rolled off the production line in Samlesbury, Lancashire, it meant that 10 per cent of the global requirement has now been produced.

More than 3,000 aircraft are currently on order, which is enough to sustain roughly 25,000 jobs across the UK at more than 500 companies in the supply chain.

The F-35 programme is the world's largest single defence programme, and as a key partner, the UK has been working closely with the US from the outset.

Andrea Thompson, F-35 Lightning II director for BAE Systems Military Air & Information, said the production milestone outlined how much progress had been made, but also highlighted the enormous amount of work still to do.

She commented: “With an order book of more than 3,000 aircraft for the global F-35 fleet, the investments we are making in our advanced manufacturing facilities are key to ensuring we continue to deliver on our commitments.”

BAE Systems is responsible for 15 per cent of the work on each F-35 Lightning II fighter jet, and is working closely with its supply chain to ensure it can ramp up production if necessary