Northrop Grumman has delivered its 1,500th F-35 Lightning II center fuselage, marking a milestone in advanced manufacturing and highlighting its critical role in the global fighter program.
From its Integrated Assembly Line (IAL) in Palmdale, California, Northrop produces the center fuselage — a central portion of the aircraft that connects the cockpit, wings, and rear fuselage, housing critical systems and providing structural integrity.
Using augmented reality and virtual reality tools, the plant has cut assembly time by 35 percent and reduced the technician learning curve by 20 percent.
On average, the IAL produces one center fuselage every 30 hours, with the flexibility to manufacture components for all three F-35 variants on a single line.
Northrop began producing center fuselages as part of early production runs, a role that has scaled up as global demand increased.
Over the decade that followed, production efficiencies gradually improved, with the IAL coming online in 2011 — a move that helped rationalize and speed up fuselage fabrication by consolidating multiple production steps into one automated flow.
Northrop Grumman’s Role in the F-35 Program
Beyond structural production, Northrop has been advancing other core F‑35 technologies in recent years.
In January 2023, the company revealed it was developing a next‑generation radar, the AN/APG‑85 AESA, intended for future Block 4 F‑35 aircraft.
This advanced sensor will offer enhanced range, resolution, and battlespace awareness compared with the existing AN/APG‑81, and is slated for installation in production Lot 17 and beyond, supporting improved lethality and survivability for all variants of the fighter.
Northrop also secured a $705-million contract in September 2023 to develop and supply the Stand‑in Attack Weapon, a new air‑to‑ground missile for F‑35 combat jets.
Designed to defeat integrated air defenses and other high‑value targets, the missile is expected to reach initial operational capability by 2026, enhancing the F‑35’s precision strike and suppression abilities.
