The selection covers the maintenance of wheels, brakes and shock strut assemblies of the F-35 landing gear, starting in 2021. GKN Aerospace’s Fokker business unit has many years of landing gear related experience in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of amongst others the F-16 landing gear and the NH90 helicopter landing gear. As well as the maintenance activities, the landing gear business is also involved in the design and manufacture of the F-35 arresting gear and in the development of the F-35 composite landing gear drag brace.

Hans Büthker, CEO of GKN Aerospace’s Fokker business unit, said: “Together with our partners, we are proud to expand the industrial participation to the F-35 maintenance phase. This represents the next and exciting step in the F-35 program, on which we can continue to build in the years to come. F-35 maintenance will create long-term employment for skilled technical employees in the aerospace industry.”

GKN Aerospace has been involved in the F-35 program since the start and has designed and manufactured electrical wiring interconnection systems, flaperons, in-flight opening doors, cockpit canopy, air frame parts, engine parts and arresting gear for all F-35 aircraft that are currently flying and in production.