a
World Defense & Security Industry News - ASCO Industries
 
 
ASCO Industries wins F-35 Flaperon Spars production contract
 
Fokker Technologies, a GKN Aerospace company, has awarded a contract to ASCO Industries for the production of high-speed flaps (Flaperon Spars) for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II program, the Belgium-based company announced on November 16, 2017.
     
Asco Industries wins F 35 Flaperon Spars production contract 640 001A 56th Fighter Wing F-35A Lightning II takes off from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., July 17, 2017
(Credit: U.S. Air Force/Airman 1st Class Caleb Worpel) 
     
The F-35 Flaperon Spars are very complex titanium components that form the basis of the F-35 flaps. ASCO will ensure the manufacturing and integrated surface treatments of the components in their headquarters in Zaventem.

Once produced, the components will be delivered to Fokker, in the Netherlands, who will assemble the composite materials and deliver the complete component to Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, USA.

The agreement signature ceremony was attended by Fokker's Vice President for Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Toine Verbruggen, and ASCO Industries' Chief Commercial Officer, Laurent Canoen.

"This agreement will contribute to the development of a European F-35 supply chains network. Asco is an internationally recognized flaps supplier. We are looking forward to working with them on this program," said Toine Verbruggen.

"Asco is very pleased to partner with Fokker Technologies in the F-35 program and to further develop the relationship between our two companies. This contract marks a new step in ASCO's continued participation in the Lockheed Martin F-35 program through our various worlwide entities," stated Laurent Canoen.

Lockheed Martin is engaged with Fokker Technologies to position ASCO Belgium as a supplier of titanium fin components as part of the Belgian F-16 replacement program (ACCap). With this contract, ASCO Belgium will have the opportunity to develop its industrial and technical capacities, while providing affordable solutions for the F-35 program.

Through the ACCap program, the Belgian Air Component seeks to purchase 34 new fighter aircraft to be acquired from Spring 2018 for an amount of 3,573 billion euros. Two contenders are officially competing for this 3.5bn € ($4.2 bn) program: Lockheed Martin with its F-35A JSF, and BAE Systems with the Eurofighter Typhoon.

ASCO, incorporated in 1954, is a proven technology specialist and supply chain integrator in design, development, precision machining, processing, certified assembly and MRO of complex high aircraft components. Headquartered in Zaventem Belgium, ASCO has four manufacturing plants in Belgium, the United States, Canada and Germany.

Today, the ASCO Group employs 1,500 people. Its worldwide, 100% Aerospace customer base includes most aircraft manufacturers as well as many related Tier-1 suppliers.