Aviation Week Market Supplement September 10, 2007

F-35: THE WORLD’S FIRST TRULY GLOBAL WEAPON SYSTEM ALLIANCE While test flights of the CTOL variant continue, Lockheed Martin is assembling the Stovl version for completion later this year. First flight is slated for 2008. achieve work overnight,” he says. “Distance has not been so much of an issue because of the collaborative tools and working methods deployed.” Although some subsystem suppliers would have preferred having a single source of information for their suppliers, Quick believes it was important that the supply chain had direct access to Lockheed Martin. “I would also look for even better integration of the PLM (UGS) software toolset and mechanisms to facilitate collaborative decision-making and approval. These would yield further efficiencies,” says Quick. And as with any technology-based effort, Quick wants more speed. “I’d like to see the timeframe reduced for replication of CAD data to support multi-site virtual mockup and bill of materials generation. Finally, and most importantly, I think we need to recognize the importance of building international relationships and personto-person contact at all levels—these form the cornerstone of any successful response to the challenges of international collaboration,” he declared. Personal relationships are something that each major subsystem supplier handled differently. The challenge was to create a team that was dispersed geographically without adding cost. As Dan Gobel, BAE Systems’ vice president and general manager for the JSF electronic warfare system, says, the last thing the team needed was to incur the cost of traveling to Europe or Australia once a month. Some companies have required that this cost of face-to- face relationship be shared. Gobel’s model was to designate a program supply chain coordinator within each country. For example, Galileo Avionica in Italy manages the supply chain there as part of its contract with BAE Systems. Another option was to acquire international partners. Goodrich, for instance, purchased Poland’s PZL-Krosno. As part of Goodrich’s F-35 team, Krosno’s workforce has tripled while providing needed expertise. With Poland being part of NATO and its adoption of the euro imminent, the prospects for Krosno doing more international work are strong. WORKING THE TEAM Lockheed Martin’s Burbage says the need for clear, consistent vision and deciwww.aviationweek.com/awst S6 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY MARKET SUPPLEMENT/SEPTEMBER 10, 2007 http://www.aviationweek.com/awst

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