Smiths Group Regulatory News (SMIN)

15 Dec 2006 22:11

SMITHS Aerospace, part of the global technology business SmithsGroup, played a key role in providing aerospace systems for LockheedMartin's successful first flight of the F-35 Lightning II Joint StrikeFighter aircraft today. £ Smiths Aerospace provides important systems to the aircraftincluding the electrical power management system, distributedcomputing and data management, actuation systems and components in thepropulsion system. £ John Ferrie, President of Smiths Aerospace said: "The first flightof the F-35 is a historic event and our employees share in the pridefelt by Lockheed Martin. We provide extensive capabilities from acrossall of our businesses including leading edge digital, mechanical andelectrical power technologies, engine components and customerservices." £ The first F-35 aircraft successfully completed its maiden flightfrom Ft. Worth Texas today. Lockheed Martin test pilot Jon Beesleyconducted the flight, which lasted approximately 35 minutes. £ Smiths Aerospace provides the following systems (depending on thevariant) on the F-35 JSF valued between $6 - 7 billion over thelifetime of the aircraft: £ -- Electrical power management system, remote input / output data concentrator units, standby flight display system (Cheltenham UK) £ -- Weapons control and data management (Michigan, Maryland and Florida) £ -- Engine and debris monitoring system and airframe strain and stress models (Southampton UK) £ -- LiftFan(TM) hose and tube system (New Hampshire and Massachusetts) £ -- Actuation systems and components included in the propulsion system and airframe (California, New Jersey, Indiana, Washington, Connecticut and Wolverhampton UK) £ -- Canopy frame (Hamble UK) £ Smiths Aerospace is also supplying F-35 performance-basedlogistics (PBL) support in a selection by Lockheed Martin Aeronauticsin May 2005. £ In addition, Smiths Interconnect, another part of the globaltechnology business Smiths Group, was selected to provide broadbandcable assemblies with a total contract value of $500 million over thelife of the programme. £ The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role stealth fighter designed toreplace a number of aging fighter and strike aircraft. The F-35 andthe Lockheed Martin F-22 are the world's only fifth generationfighters, combining stealth with supersonic performance, advancedsensor fusion, greatly expanded capacity for interoperability anddramatic reductions in operation and support costs. £ Two separate, interchangeable engines are currently underdevelopment for the F-35: the Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan and theF136 turbofan from the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team. Each engineproduces 40,000 pounds of thrust, which will make the F-35 the mostpowerful single-engine fighter ever to fly. £ About the F-35: The F-35 is the single most important new militaryaircraft to be produced over the next 30 years. The F-35 marketconsists of 2,581 aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S.Marine Corps, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Up to an additional2,000 aircraft are expected to be sold for export. Low Rate InitialProduction (LRIP) will commence in 2007 followed by full-rateproduction of the aircraft beginning in 2013 continuing beyond 2027. £ About Smiths' F-35 systems £ Standby Flight Display System: The standby display systemindependently displays attitude, altitude, airspeed, vertical velocityand angle of attack. The display system is centrally located in thecockpit front panel and incorporates fully agile performance. £ Weapons Control: The fuselage remote interface units will providethe interface between the avionics and all weapon stations. The unitssupply the distribution of GPS signals to weapons, as well asperforming the weapons arming, release and emergency jettisonfunctions. The missile remote interface units adapt the industrystandard weapons interface to unique missile interface types. Thepylon remote interface units adapt the industry standard weaponsinterface to legacy weapon interface types. The bomb rack power modulesupplied is a high-pressure pneumatic manifold and bottle storagedevice helping to manage the pneumatic discharge system of the weaponsdelivery. A pneumatic reversible, in-flight locking actuator is alsoincluded. £ LiftFan(TM) hose and tube system: Smiths will supply all of therigid tubes and flexible hoses for the hydraulic and lubricationsystems of the F-35 LiftFan(TM). The LiftFan(TM) is used exclusivelyon the short-takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35.This, combined with a vectoring rear engine nozzle, produces thelifting force necessary for short takeoffs, vertical landings andhovering. £ Electrical Power Management System: The electrical powermanagement system will provide the primary and secondary electricaldistribution and control and backup battery capability throughout theaircraft. £ Engine Rings: The exhaust containment ring for the F-35 providesthe interface of the power plant to exhaust nozzle and the sync ringscontrol flap and seal actuation for the after burn. £ Actuation Systems: The actuation systems include the horizontaltail centering actuators and three bearing swivel duct actuationsystem at the rear of the aircraft and the variable area nozzle andinlet guide vanes, which control airflow through the forward lift fanon the short-takeoff/vertical landing F-35. £ Remote Input/Output Units: The ten remote input/output units peraircraft provide the primary analogue to digital conversion of thesensor and effector interfaces to the vehicle sub-systems. The unitsalso transmit and receive data and commands to the vehicle managementcomputers via multiple high-speed serial data busses. £ Canopy Frame: The canopy frame is a lightweight structureconsisting of complex machining and composite components. £ Aircraft Memory System: The aircraft memory system includes datatransfer cartridges and data receptacles for data upload and gatheringof (mission and usage) data. £ Smiths Group is a global technology company, listed on the LondonStock Exchange. Smiths Group is a world leader in the practicalapplication of advanced technologies. Its products and services makethe world safer, healthier and more productive. Smiths Group has fourdivisions: Aerospace, Detection, Medical and Specialty Engineering. Itemploys 32,000 people and has over 250 major facilities in 50countries. For more information visit www.smiths.com £ Smiths Aerospace is a leading transatlantic aerospace systems andequipment business, with more than 11,000 employees and $2.3 billionrevenues globally. The business holds key positions in the supplychains of all major military and civil aircraft and enginemanufacturers and is a world-leader in digital, electrical power,mechanical systems, engine components and customer services. Forfurther information visit www.smiths-aerospace.com. Copyright Business Wire 2006