Orbital ATK signs $24M contract to build F-35 fighter components at Clearfield plant

Orbital ATK has received an initial $24 million contract from Lockheed Martin to produce a pair of composite components for the F-35 Joint Strike Force Fighter aircraft. The parts will be manufactured at the Orbital ATK facility in Clearfield.

Orbital ATK will make bullnose and blade seals for the fifth-generation fighter jet that is used primarily by the U.S. Air Force and Navy. The advanced stealth aircraft touts speed, network-enabled operations and lower operational and support costs, according to the manufacturer.

The current contract will run three years for production in Clearfield, where Orbital ATK currently produces upper and lower wing skins for the F-35.

 “Orbital ATK excels at providing advanced composite structures that require robust manufacturing processes to affordably fit our customer’s needs,” said Steve Earl, vice president and general manager of Orbital ATK’s Aerospace Structures Division. “We are pleased Lockheed Martin is entrusting us with additional work on the most advanced combat aircraft in the world: the F-35 Lightning II.”

Orbital ATK designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation systems for customers around the world, both as a prime contractor and merchant supplier. Its main products include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced aerospace structures. Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, the company employs approximately 13,000 people across the U.S., including approximately 2,900 people in Utah at facilities in Clearfield, Magna and Promontory.