Patria Partners with Lockheed Martin to Revolutionize F-35 Landing Gear Door Manufacturing
Patria and Lockheed Martin have established their second Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for direct collaboration within Finland’s F-35 industrial engagement initiative. This MoA outlines the contractual framework for the setup and certification of a production line for landing gear doors at Patria’s Halli facility located in Jämsä, Finland. The production line is set to supply landing gear doors for the global F-35 fleet.
“This enduring agreement for the fabrication of 400 sets of F-35 landing gear doors constitutes a significant enhancement to Patria’s future capabilities. Furthering expertise in F-35 materials in relation to F-35 Forward Fuselage Assembly is vital for Finland’s supply security. Moving forward as planned, our collaboration with Lockheed Martin and the F-35 supply chain has, once again, proven to be very fruitful,” stated Petri Hepola, Chief Program Officer for F-35 at Patria.
The landing gear doors initiative is a pivotal component of the F-35’s industrial participation strategy in Finland, aimed at transferring technical and manufacturing expertise in 5th Generation aircraft production. This initiative will offer decades of advanced technological manufacturing opportunities and empower the Finnish industry to gear up for future operational and maintenance possibilities.
“The industrial prospects associated with the F-35 provided to Finland enhance and expand the Finnish industry’s depth of expertise while also bolstering the nation’s supply security,” remarked Mike Shoemaker, Vice President of F-35 Customer Programs at Lockheed Martin. “We eagerly anticipate collaborating with Patria to cultivate this robust production capability in Finland and partnering with Finnish industry throughout the program’s entire lifecycle.”
This agreement is just one among numerous projects Lockheed Martin is engaged in alongside Finnish industry, academic institutions, and research organizations, focusing on F-35 production, sustainability, and defense-related technologies. The F-35’s industrial participation strategy in Finland fosters strong competencies through supply security and is also crucial for the national economy.
