Lockheed Martin signs with Patria for F-35 landing gear doors
Patria has signed a second agreement with Lockheed Martin for work on F-35 aircraft. (Photo: US DoD)
Finland’s purchase of F-35A aircraft was approved as a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) in October 2020 and 14 months later the aircraft was selected by the Finnish government. The FMS announcement noted a deal for 64 F-35A aircraft along with missiles, munitions and related equipment for an estimated cost of US$12.5 billion.
Finland’s Patria will manufacture 400 F-35 landing gear doors under a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed with Lockheed Martin as part of the deal which saw Finland purchase 64 aircraft.
This MoA has provided the contractual framework for the stand-up and qualification of a landing gear doors production line at Patria’s Halli facility in Jämsä, Finland. The production line will deliver landing gear doors for the F-35 global fleet.
It is the second deal signed between the two companies with the first one announced at the Paris Air Show last year for forward fuselage assemblies for 400 aircraft.
In addition to this work Patria is involved in the production of structural components and will establish co-production projects with Pratt & Whitney for the F135 engines powering Finnish F-35s.
Petri Hepola, chief programme officer, F-35 at Patria, said: “This long-term agreement is an important addition to Patria´s future capabilities [and] the further expertise of F-35 materials in connection with F-35 Forward Fuselage Assembly is essential for Finland´s security of supply.”
Patria said in a statement that “the agreement is one of many projects Lockheed Martin is partnering on with Finnish industry, universities, and research groups, focused on F-35 production, sustainment and defence-related technologies”.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Air Warfare
-
![UK SMEs remain vulnerable in effort to help build sovereign capabilities, JCNSS report warns]()
UK SMEs remain vulnerable in effort to help build sovereign capabilities, JCNSS report warns
The report comes as heads of industry bodies warn that the delayed defence spending plan has left smaller and medium sized businesses in stasis, unable to plan or seek out further investment.
-
![Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition]()
Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition
Norway first scoped the requirement in 2022, and included it in a defence strategy document in 2023. The announcement of a new framework agreement appears to have breathed fresh life into the effort.
-
![March Drone Digest: Long-range, low-cost loitering munitions are changing warfare economics]()
March Drone Digest: Long-range, low-cost loitering munitions are changing warfare economics
The effective use of the Shahed-136 in the Iran war has highlighted the need for countries to acquire a domestically produced, low-cost, long-range loitering munition, with the US, Turkey and European nations all at various stages of developing a similar capability.
-
![US Air Force is eyeing cost-effective automated counter-drone solutions]()
US Air Force is eyeing cost-effective automated counter-drone solutions
The USAF is seeking on-the-move systems, subsystems or technologies capable of defending airbases and fixed and semi-fixed sites against small drone attacks.
-
![Long-range drone acquisition axed as Norway announces $11.75 billion spending uplift]()
Long-range drone acquisition axed as Norway announces $11.75 billion spending uplift
Norway’s funding boost will help the country reach 3.5% of GDP on defence spending by 2035, with autonomous systems part of the long list of priorities alongside frigate acquisition and development of a new Finnmark Brigade.
