(2015-03-09) Kitron ASA's subsidiary Kitron AS will develop a test program set (TPS) for evaluating and troubleshooting F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft avionics under a four-year development contract awarded by Northrop Grumman Corporation. The contract has a total value of NOK 16 million.
Kitron was selected as an international source for TPS equipment, which consists of complex Interface Test Assemblies that work with the LM-STAR test system developed by Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed Martin is the F-35 prime contractor. Northrop Grumman developed the F-35's Communication, Navigation and Identification (CNI) avionics.
The TPS will be used at repair facilities at Kitron and Northrop Grumman to evaluate and troubleshoot L-Band Pre-Selector (LBPS) Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), a module in the F-35's CNI avionics suite.
Northrop Grumman's integrated CNI suite provides F-35 pilots with the capability of more than 27 avionics functions including voice and data communication. The CNI design uses advanced software-defined radio technology that allows the simultaneous operation of multiple critical functions while greatly reducing size, weight and power demands on the advanced fighter aircraft.
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation fighter aircraft, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.
Norway is one of nine partner nations participating in the F-35 program; three other countries will procure F-35 aircraft through the Foreign Military Sales process. Under a separate manufacturing license agreement between Kitron and Northrop Grumman, Kitron also will manufacture and repair several subassemblies for the F-35 CNI.
On 10 December 2014, Northrop Grumman announced it had completed the center fuselage for the first F-35 aircraft ordered by Norway, a conventional takeoff and landing variant.
For further information please contact:
Dag Songedal, Managing Director Kitron AS, tel. +47 91 38 64 68 or e-mail dag.songedal@kitron.com
Peter Nilsson, CEO Kitron ASA, tel. +47 948 40 850 eller e-mail peter.nilsson@kitron.com
Kitron is one of Scandinavia's leading electronic manufacturing services companies for the Data/Telecoms, Defense, Energy, Industry, Medical equipment and Offshore/Marine sectors. The company is located in Norway, Sweden, Lithuania, Germany, China and the United States. Kitron had revenue of about NOK 1.75 billion in 2014 and has about 1 200 employees. www.kitron.com
This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.