Northrop Grumman Uses Advanced Manufacturing to Produce Centre Fuselages for All F-35 Variants

Northrop Grumman uses advanced manufacturing to produce centre fuselages for all F-35 variants

The IAL began operations in 2011 and has since enabled the delivery of over 1,400 centre fuselages for the F-35 programme. Northrop Grumman is a principal partner on the F-35 industry team, which is responsible for the development, production and sustainment of this fifth-generation multirole fighter. The centre fuselage is a major airframe component for each of the three F-35 variants and incorporates a bifurcated inlet system. It also forms a …

Northrop Grumman Leverages Advanced Tech to Build All Three F-35 Lightning II Variant Center Fuselages - EDR Magazine

Palmdale, Calif. – July 1, 2025 – Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) manufactures center fuselages for all three variants of the F-35 Lighting II stealth fighter at its Integrated Assembly Line (IAL) in Palmdale, California. Employing advanced manufacturing technologies, the IAL delivers one F-35 center fuselage every 30 hours to meet U.S. and international customer needs. The IAL came online in 2011 and has enabled Northrop Grumman to deliver over 1,…