Alion to provide R&D services for F-35 Joint Program Office
F-35A aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base. (Photo: Matt Short/Lockheed Martin)
Alion Science and Technology has obtained a five-year, $77 million task order from the USAF F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office (JPO) for aircraft and weapons systems R&D.
The company will provide research, technical studies, and analysis on weapons systems and platforms, including shipboard and airborne radar and electronic systems; electrical generation systems; weapons control systems; engines; aircraft launch and recovery equipment; support equipment; and other complex machinery.
In a 2 April announcement, Alion added that it will provide solution alternatives for weapons systems and platforms ‘as well as avionic and shipboard systems that affect the life cycle, with a focus on affordability and develop approaches that resolve technical or supportability deficiencies affecting weapons systems’.
Terri Walker-Spoonhour, acting SVP and general manager of the Cyber and Electronic Warfare Group in Alion, said: ‘Alion has a long partnership with the F-35 JPO and demonstrated strengths in researching and identifying alternatives that affect aircraft and weapons system's life cycle affordability, approaches to resolve technical or supportability deficiencies and design, as well as integrating and validating solutions.’
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
More from Air Warfare
-
BAE Systems reveals new GCAP demonstrator design with plans to fly by 2027
A key part in the trinational Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), this is the first crewed supersonic aircraft demonstrator to be built and developed in the UK in more than 40 years.
-
Kratos Defense makes European CCA push with Airbus partnership
Kratos’ XQ-58A Valkyrie will be equipped with an Airbus-made mission system to be offered as a ‘European’ collaborative combat aircraft option to the German Air Force.
-
Anduril’s Barracuda-100M completes latest successful test flights
The munitions variant of the Barrauda-100 autonomous air vehicle is being tested for the US Army’s High-Speed Manoeuvrable Missile (HSMM) testbed programme, with further flight tests expected in 2026.
-
“Gloves are off” as US Defense Secretary memo calls for sweeping drone procurement reform
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has promised to usher in a new era of “military drone dominance”.
-
Norway cleared for possible $2.6 billion HH-60W helicopter FMS
The possible sale for nine HH-60W by the US government could make Norway the first Foreign Military Sale customer for the rescue and combat helicopter and add to the country’s ongoing acquisition of Sikorsky-made helicopters.
-
Bell selected over Boeing to build DARPA SPRINT X-Plane
The programme first began in 2023 with Bell and Boeing’s concepts progressing to Phase 1B, in which testing has been carried out over the last year.