First Italian-Built F-35B 'Rolls Out' of Cameri Production Facility

Our partners in Italy have now rolled out their first F-35B, two years after they made their first A model. This is an ongoing partnership between Lockheed and Leonardo, and no doubt will complement their capabilities within NATO quite appropriately.
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Lockheed Martin
CAMERI, Italy, May 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The first Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing version of the F-35, or F-35B, assembled outside the United States rolled out of the Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility here today.

The rollout exhibits the ongoing strong partnership between the Italian Ministry of Defense, industry partner Leonardo and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT). The Italian FACO is owned by the Italian Ministry of Defense and is operated by Leonardo in conjunction with Lockheed Martin with a current workforce of more than 800 skilled personnel engaged in full assembly of the Conventional Take-off/Landing F-35A and F-35B aircraft variants and F-35A wing production.

Gen. Claudio Graziano, Italian chief of defense, Gen. Carlo Magrassi, secretary general of defense/director of National Armament, Adm. Mathias Winter, deputy program executive officer at the F-35 Joint Program Office, Filippo Bagnato, Leonardo Aircraft Division's Managing Director, and Doug Wilhelm, Lockheed Martin F-35 Program Management vice president, spoke at the milestone event.

"Italy is not only a valued F-35 program partner that has achieved many F-35 program 'firsts', but is also a critical NATO air component force, providing advanced airpower for the alliance for the coming decades," Wilhelm said. "Italian industry has participated in the design of the F-35 and Italian industry made components fly on every production F-35 built to date."

The jet's first flight is anticipated in late August and it is programmed to be delivered to the Italian Ministry of Defense in November.

Here is a video from when they first rolled out the F-35A in 2015.

Pretty soon these big aero companies will be outsourcing all the jobs building planes.

a reply to: rickymouse

They're not outsourcing. The aircraft being built in Italy are for Italy and some for the Netherlands. And beyond the wings, which are built by Leonardo for the entire program, the components are built at the usual locations and shipped to Italy. They're a final assembly area. Japan will be another one for their aircraft.

That video and music really is epic. The high res image of it is astounding. Great looking plane.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

sta bene.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

The aircraft is designated BL-1. They'll fly it in August, and are expected to turn it over to the Italian military in November, before flying it to Pax River in Maryland for electromagnetic environmental effects testing. After that, it will be certified to fly off the Italian carrier.

They will eventually build 60 F-35As for Italy, 29 As for the Netherlands, and 30 Bs, also for Italy. They've delivered 7 A models, four of which were flown to the US for training.

The Ferrari and Lamborghini technicians work on aircraft, which is
a super light carbon fiber shell making a maneuverable aircraft that
uses powerful engines.

The manufacturing skill of those guys is amazing, constructing with
the precise skill reminiscent of the Aztecs and Mayans.

a reply to: Zaphod58

HOW is all of this secured?

a reply to: cavtrooper7

The same way it is in the US. The FACO is technically a Lockheed facility even though it's run by Italian companies.

a reply to: ThatHappened

Working with the carbon fiber will help both sides too. The only real problem is learning to work with the RAM. No matter how advanced it gets, it's a pain to work with.

That factory will also be doing maintenance work to won't it?

There was an article about that factory last year wasn't there.

a reply to: grey580

Yes. They'll do PDM and upgrades for the European countries, while the Netherlands and UK will do engine work for them.

a reply to: Zaphod58
So hey, is this kind like being produced under license the way many other weapons systems and arms?? Sort of how like many countries are authorized to produce the AK-47 under license, or other such arms and ground combat vehicles. Is this aircraft being done under a similar concept in allied states??

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Yes and no. The components are being built by the same contractors that are building them for Lockheed in the US, and Lockheed engineers are there helping. They're responsible for taking all the components and attaching them into the final aircraft.

Under license build, the components are built by local companies and all the work is done in country.

a reply to: Zaphod58
Sounds like a mutually beneficial deal to me.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

It is. They're learning a lot for future programs. Japan has a FACO as well, that will be opening in the next year or so. They're in the process of developing their own stealth fighter, so a lot of what they'll learn in the FACO will be put forward into that program.

I swear I read the title as calamari production facility

a reply to: libertytoall
mmm.. Calamari ...

One whole year has passed now since the first F-35 roll-out in Italy. Is the thing still working ?

a reply to: Flanker86

Working just fine and has been joined by others.