Assembly of the first F-35A began yesterday Lightning II at the FACO - Final Assembly and Check-Out of Nagoya in Japan. For the aircraft, designated AX-5, the assembly process has officially begun with the main components that will be joined to form the structure of the aircraft.
The F-35A AX-5, the first Lightning II to be assembled in Japan, will complete the assembly at the plant Electronic Mate and Assembly Station (EMAS). The roll out and subsequent delivery are scheduled for the 2017.
The first four Japanese F-35As, the aircraft from the AX-1 to the AX-4, are in production at Lockheed Martin's F-35 plant in Fort Worth, Texas. The delivery of the first F-35A, the AX-1 aircraft, is scheduled for the 2016.
The other 38 F-35A of the program of Foreign Military Sale (FMS) for Japan will be assembled and delivered to the country by the FACO of Nagoya. Lockheed Martin and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) are working together to complete the facilities at the Nagoya plant by installing the necessary equipment for assembly and delivery of the F-35As. Lockheed is also providing technical assistance and training the personnel who will work at the Japanese plant. In 2014, the Nagoya plant was also selected as the reference center for the Asia-Pacific area for maintenance, repair, overhaul and updating - Maintenance Repair Overhaul & and Upgrade (MROU).
