Boeing and Lockheed Martin plan to finalise their competing Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) international supplier teams by the end of the year in readiness for the submission of draft proposals for the follow-on engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase.
The JSF programme office is drawing up cost targets for EMD, which is projected to be worth between $15-18 billion. The teams' preferred weapon system concept (PWSC) development plans are scheduled to be submitted by the middle of next year and will be followed by a final request for improved EMD proposals in September. A selection will be made in early 2001.
"The draft at the end of this year will spell out who does what and also reconcile their cost...JSF is all about affordability and we're looking for the best value wherever it comes from," says Martin Taylor, British Aerospace JSF deputy programme manager.
The Lockheed Martin/Northrop Grumman/BAe team accordingly has formed a joint estimating database to work from.
Lockheed Martin's partners and suppliers and Boeing's "One Team" are drawn from among the nations participating in the current $2.1 billion JSF concept demonstration phase.
The UK has invested $200 million to be a full partner, while Canada, Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands have observer status. Singapore recently signed as an associate member and is expected to be joined by Israel and Turkey.
Boeing's One Team includes Dowty Aerospace, Flight Refuelling, GEC-Marconi, Messier Dowty and Martin Baker from the UK, Dutch support systems specialist Syllogic and Danish structural supplier Terma. US team members are AlliedSignal, Honeywell, Hamilton Sundstrand and Lockheed Martin Sanders.
"Each one has demonstrated an ability to be innovative and to implement low-cost approaches, " says Frank Statkus, Boeing JSF general manager.
Lockheed Martin has not disclosed its team members, but they are understood to closely match Boeing's and include Dutch companies Fokker and Philips.
Source: Flight International
