First F-35
Vehicle-Management Computer Delivered
19 May 2003
FORT
WORTH,
Texas -
BAE
SYSTEMS
Platform
Solutions
has
delivered
the
first
Vehicle-Management
Computer
(VMC) to
F-35
Joint
Strike
Fighter
team at
Lockheed
Martin
[NYSE:
LMT].
Also
delivered
was the
Vehicle
Management
Computer
Engineering
Test
Stand.
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The powerful VMC unit, slightly smaller than a shoe box, houses hardware and software for the F-35’s digital flight-control and utility systems (e.g., fuel, electrical and hydraulic system controls). It contains two Motorola Power PC microprocessors, each providing more than ten times the performance of previous-generation systems.
Incorporating commercial, off-the-shelf technology (such as Power PC processors) into an open-system architecture throughout the F-35 will enable frequent technology updates at low cost.
Open-system architecture is based on the use of commercial, standard interfaces that allow the program to take advantage of commercial technologies for more supportable, lower-cost designs.
Affordability is the cornerstone of the F-35 program, and has been designed into the F-35 aircraft from day one.
Henry Butkiewicz of BAE SYSTEMS, left, and Tom Dull of Northrop Grumman display the first F-35 Vehicle Management Computer (VMC) delivered to the F-35 JSF team at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant. The all-digital VMC unit houses hardware and software for the F-35’s digital flight-control and utility systems, and is many times more powerful than previous-generation systems.
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“Each
F-35
will
have
three
boxes,
making
it a
triple-redundant
system,”
said Tom
Burbage,
executive
vice
president
and
general
manager
of the
Lockheed
Martin
JSF
program.
“Each
box
‘votes’
and
compares
its
decision
with
that of
the
others
before
executing
a
command
- a
process
that
takes
place in
much
less
than the
blink of
an eye.
If one
or even
two
boxes
were to
be
damaged
or
malfunction,
the
aircraft
would
continue
to
operate
normally.”
The
all-digital
VMCs,
which
save
weight
and
space
while
improving
precision,
are at
the
heart of
the
distributed
F-35
Vehicle
System.
The
first
VMCs
will be
installed
in the
F-35
Vehicle
Systems
Integration
Facility,
a
laboratory
at
Lockheed
Martin
in Fort
Worth
that
simulates
the
entire
airplane
by
integrating
and
testing
F-35
components
such as
hydraulic
systems,
utilities
and
subsystems.
Delivery
of the
VMC
early in
the F-35
development
schedule
provides
maximum
time for
development,
integration
and
testing
of F-35
Vehicle
Systems
software.
Later
VMCs
will be
installed
in the
actual
F-35
development
aircraft,
the
first of
which is
scheduled
to fly
in late
2005.
Lockheed
Martin
is
developing
the F-35
in
conjunction
with its
principal
industrial
partners,
Northrop
Grumman
and BAE
SYSTEMS.
Two
separate
but
interchangeable
engines
are
under
development
by Pratt
&
Whitney
and
General
Electric.
Among
the
aircraft
F-35
will
replace
are the
AV-8B
Harrier,
A-10,
F-16,
F/A-18
and
United
Kingdom’s
Harrier
GR.7 and
Sea
Harrier.
Lockheed
Martin
Aeronautics
Co., a
business
area of
Lockheed
Martin,
is a
leader
in the
design,
development,
systems
integration,
production
and
support
of
advanced
military
aircraft
and
related
technologies.
Its
customers
include
the
military
services
of the
United
States
and
allied
countries
throughout
the
world.
Products
include
the
F-16,
F/A-22,
F-35 JSF,
F-117,
T-50,
C-5,
C-130,
C-130J,
P-3, S-3
and U-2.
Headquartered
in
Bethesda,
Md.,
Lockheed
Martin
employs
about
125,000
people
worldwide
and is
principally
engaged
in the
research,
design,
development,
manufacture
and
integration
of
advanced
technology
systems,
products
and
services.
The
Corporation
reported
2002
sales of
$26.6
billion.
For more
information
on
Lockheed
Martin
Aeronautics
Co.,
visit:
http://www.lmaeronautics.com
CONTACTS:
John
Smith
(817)
763-4084
(817)
312-5131
john.a1.smith@lmco.com
John
Kent
(817)
763-3980
(817)
308-5567
john.r.kent@lmco.com
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