Honeywell and GKN Aerospace’s Fokker Landing Gear business in the Netherlands have signed a license and parts supply agreement for an authorized service center for Honeywell’s wheels and brakes on the F-35 military fighter jet.
In 2016, GKN Aerospace’s Fokker Landing Gear was chosen by the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) to maintain and service landing gear components for the European F-35 fleet.
The agreement between Honeywell and GKN Aerospace will cover the entire European market and bring significant benefits to both current and future owners and operators of the F-35. This agreement will substantially reduce the logistical footprint of supporting the regional fleet with a Netherlands-based depot, thus resulting in a lower cost of ownership for F-35 operators.
As part of the license agreement, GKN Aerospace will provide repair, overhaul and maintenance of Honeywell’s wheels and brakes covering all variants of the F-35.
Honeywell Aerospace EMEAI Defense and Space senior director, Cooper Cullen, has said, “There are currently an estimated 126 F-35 aircraft in Europe, with more than 450 aircraft forecasted in ten years’ time.
“A dedicated repair, overhaul and maintenance facility was needed in Europe that can service this large fleet, as opposed to sending every asset to the US, which not only incurs significant time and cost but also affects operational readiness.”
As each F-35 comprises over 100 unique Honeywell parts, Honeywell can provide several upgrades, retrofits and modifications for the jet.
Honeywell technology is included in the F-35 jet’s avionics, cockpit and avionics cooling, wheels and brakes, inertial navigation systems, engine fuel controls and a thermal management system.
“There was an urgent need in the region for a service center able to provide repair, maintenance and overhaul of the F-35 wheels and brakes for the European market locally, thus our partnership with Honeywell will provide immense cost and time savings for F-35 operators and owners,” said Suku Kurien program director, Lockheed Martin, GKN Aerospace.
“Additionally, we can leverage Honeywell’s extensive knowledge and know-how and our expertise in this area, resulting in a win-win proposition for all.”
