Construction Starts On Rheinmetall’s German F-35 Fuselage Facility
Construction work on Rheinmetall’s future manufacturing facility for F-35 center fuselages started on August 1, with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site in Weeze attended by officials from Rheinmetall, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and the German government.
The groundbreaking comes just under a month after Rheinmetall announced that it had selected the town in the Kleve district of North Rhine-Westphalia as the site of the factory. The factory is planned to begin production of F-35A fuselage sections in 2025, with Rheinmetall saying that it will produce at least 400 fuselage sections for F-35As to be operated by the German Air Force and other allied F-35 operators.
According to Rheinmetall, the plant will feature 60,000 square meters of floor space, with 400 employees staffing the production line. Other plant facilities include logistics and warehouse facilities, research and test centers, classrooms and quality control units.
While European suppliers have long been involved in supplying components and assemblies for the F-35, recent orders from Germany, Finland and Switzerland among other future European operators have driven an expansion of the F-35’s supply chain footprint in Europe. In addition to the economic benefits of more European companies becoming involved in building F-35s, local supply chains also provide independent sources of spare parts in the event of a crisis or conflict.
“The success of the Integrated Assembly Line addresses Northrop Grumman’s vision to affordably manufacture a quality next-generation aircraft that meets the needs of a growing number of international customers,” said Tom Jones, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems. “Combined with Rheinmetall’s experience with German Armed Forces and European industry, the collaboration with Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin will foster critical skills and energize the region’s economy with high-tech job opportunities.”
The German government officially signed a contract for the purchase of 35 F-35As in December last year. The stealthy aircraft are being procured to replace the German Air Force’s Panavia Tornado strike aircraft, and will inherit the Tornado’s role of delivering tactical nuclear weapons as part of NATO’s shared nuclear deterrent.