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Goodrich-Australia Delivers First F-35C Landing Gear Components

March 31, 2009 (by Eric L. Palmer) - Goodrich Corporation’s Customer Services facility in Sydney, Australia has delivered its first production landing gear components for the carrier variant F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft.

F-35C - CV

The components, including landing gear downlock and retract actuators, were assembled and tested in Sydney before being shipped to Goodrich’s Cleveland, Ohio Landing Gear facility for installation.

The Goodrich team in Sydney sources most of the components for the F-35’s landing gear actuation system through its Australian supply chain, with Rosebank Engineering in Victoria as the primary machining and processing supplier. Other key suppliers in Australia include Heat Treatment Australia based in Queensland, and Levett Engineering in South Australia.

Michael Dupesovski, Business Director for Goodrich Customer Services in Sydney, said, “Our team in Australia is committed to growing its involvement in major military production programs. Providing content for landing gear adds to our current production work for the F-35, enhances international participation in the program, and further strengthens our Australian supply chain.”

The Goodrich facility in Sydney also produces actuators for the F-35’s weapons bay door drive system, the device that instantly opens and closes the weapons bay door, allowing weapons held in the aircraft’s internal bay to be deployed while maintaining the F-35’s stealthy signature.

Goodrich Customer Services in Sydney, in business since 1955, performs maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for commercial and military operators in Asia Pacific. The facility began performing original equipment manufacturing of actuation systems in 2005 as a natural progression of its extensive actuation MRO experience. The facility is one of six Goodrich global MRO campuses which offer an extensive range of aftermarket services for a multitude of Goodrich products and systems.

Goodrich provides critical systems for all variants of the F-35 Lightning IICTOL (conventional takeoff and landing), CV (carrier variant) and STOVL (short takeoff/vertical landing). In addition to actuation systems, landing gear and the weapons bay door drive system, other Goodrich content on the F-35 includes the air data system, engine and fuel quantity sensors, and unique STOVL engine and airframe components. Production takes place at company facilities in Australia, Canada, the UK and the U.S.


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    Additional images:

    Artist's impression of an F-35C right after take-off from an aircraft carrier.