The manufacturer of the F-35 fighter aircraft, Lockheed Martin, has signed a letter of intent with Rheinmetall, ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH and Lufthansa Technik for maintenance and repair of the F-35 in Germany. This emerges from statements by the companies involved on X (formerly Twitter). A few days ago, Lufthansa boss Carsten Spohr announced Lufthansa Technik's participation in the consortium.
In their statements, Rheinmetall and ESG emphasized that they want to work together in a transatlantic industrial partnership to develop efficient solutions that meet the requirements of the Luftwaffe team for the confident maintenance and repair of the F-35. Lufthansa Technik added, “…to ensure maximum availability for the Air Force together with the soldiers and all industrial partners.”
There had been speculation in the press for days about the founding of the consortium. However, there has so far been no confirmation of this from industry circles.
Rheinmetall would then – after the final assembly of the center fuselage sections of the F-35 in Weeze (ESuTreported) – take a further step towards an aviation company and thus further undermine the aviation top dog Airbus. Airbus reportedly declined to participate in the production of the F-35 because the volume was too low and continued to concentrate on the production of the Eurofighter.
ESG is involved in numerous military aircraft maintenance projects, including working with Boeing on the future CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift transport helicopter and the P-8A patrol aircraft.
Lufthansa Technik (LHT) with its newly founded Defense division is also involved in the two future aircraft mentioned above. In addition, LHT supports the Bundeswehr, among other things, in the construction and maintenance of BMVg aircraft and the future Pegasus reconnaissance system.
The maintenance and repair of aircraft from the USA by German industrial consortia brings it close to the stationing location and could be carried out for short downtimes and downtimes of the machines. In addition, a significant part of the value creation in Germany occurs with a gain in know-how.
Gerhard Heiming
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F-35 center fuselage sections are built in North Rhine-Westphalia