Alcoa to supply titanium for F-35 program in addition to advanced aluminium products

Lightweight metals leader Alcoa today announced a contract to supply titanium for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II aircraft program, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). Under the contract, Alcoa becomes the titanium supplier for airframe structures for all three variants of the F-35 over nine years, from 2016 to 2024. At current projected build rates, the contract has an estimated value of approximately $1.1 billion.

In addition to the forged titanium bulkheads, Alcoa already supplies several key, multi-material components for the F-35, including:

• Multiple structural aircraft body components including the largest forged aluminium bulkheads, which Alcoa manufactures in one piece—as opposed to multi-piece assemblies
• Advanced aluminium die forgings for the critical wheel and braking systems;
• Fasteners and installation tooling that hold the aircraft together;
• Machined aluminium and titanium “vane box” assemblies that direct air flow, enabling the vertical landing capabilities of the STOVL; and
• Several high-performance components for the F-135 engine that enable the engine to operate at temperatures hotter than the melting point of the superalloys, increasing fuel efficiency.

The F-35 Lightning II is an advanced fighter aircraft combining stealth, speed and agility, designed for many kinds of missions. Lockheed Martin’s full-rate production goal is 13 aircraft a month by the mid-2020s, up from an average of three aircraft delivered per month in 2014.

Alcoa has been growing its multi-material aerospace business to capture growth in the global aerospace market.