Rockledge, Florida, October 31, 2006 - Lockheed Martin Aeronautics awards Matrix Composites production contracts for critical carbon fiber composite structures on the F22 Raptor program.
The recent award will include the production of more than 60 aircraft delivered over the next three to four years. Various airframe, fuselage, and vertical fin components will be manufactured at the Rockledge, Florida facility utilizing state-of-the-art composite molding technologies.
In April of 2005, Matrix became one of only a few companies worldwide approved to manufacture resin transfer molded carbon fiber structures for the aircraft. Over the last year, Matrix has further demonstrated its commitment to excellence with the on-time delivery of 12 part numbers in support of production lots 5 and 6. The recent award will add 54 part numbers per aircraft to the build effort and will extend through lot 9 aircraft production.
"Our support of the F22 program exemplifies the advanced manufacturing technologies key to our growth strategy" said President and CEO David Nesbitt. "We have worked diligently to become one of Lockheed Martin's top suppliers. The efforts have clearly paid-off with this award and we are thrilled to play such a vital role in the production of the worlds most advanced fighter aircraft."
This latest contract, valued at $8.4 million, will cover production through 2010. Recent congressional approval of a multi-year procurement brings the total number of F22's currently on order to 183. Additional sales beyond 183 are expected potentially taking the total tally up to 381 aircraft with deliveries as far out as 2014. The F/A-22 is being produced for the U.S. Air Force as the world's only fifth generation fighter aircraft. Final assembly takes place in Marietta, Georgia with Lockheed Martin, its partners and nearly 1,000 suppliers in 42 states.
Matrix Composites Incorporated has been providing quality composites since 1993 and is an industry leader in the design and manufacture of precision composites for the aviation, medical, and space industries.
