Magellan Aerospace has signed an agreement with BAE Systems to produce assemblies for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF).

The latest agreement follows a series of annual contract awards, valued at more than $52m, made to Magellan by BAE Systems for F-35 assemblies over a two-year period.

Magellan Aerospace president and CEO Phillip Underwood said: "This contract represents significant quantities of horizontal tails awarded to Magellan in the ramping up to full scale production.

“The ability to meet the increased annual volumes is an essential element of achieving F-35 programme objectives in support of our customer's global obligations.

"Magellan will be producing approximately half of the CTOL horizontal tails required each year."

Under the agreed terms, Magellan will produce F-35 Lightning II horizontal tail assemblies for use on the conventional takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) variant of the F-35.

Currently, Magellan plans to produce more than 1,000 shipsets of horizontal tail assemblies over the life of the F-35 programme.

"The ability to meet the increased annual volumes is an essential element of achieving F-35 programme objectives in support of our customer's global obligations."

Magellan corporate F-35 programme director Scott McCrady said: “Magellan's projected total revenues for the F-35 programme could reach C$2.0bn based on the current anticipated aircraft requirements.

"We are seeing significant increases in annual programme quantities from both the US DoD and the international partners."

The programme could produce up to 4,000 F-35 fighters globally.

Image: The horizontal tail assemblies being produced. Photo: courtesy of Lockheed Martin Corporation.