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BAE open Lancashire fighter factory

BAE have opened their new jet manufacturing facility at Samlesbury in Lancashire, representing £150m investment.

The new facility, when fully completed, will allow the production of one F-35 fighter jet fuselage set every day, compared to the current rate of one per week.

Nigel Evans, MP for the Ribble Valley and deputy chairman Ways & Means, opened the facility in a special ceremony today.

Chris Allam, Senior Vice President on the F-35 programme said “The facility opening is an exciting development in the F-35 story at Samlesbury.

“F-35 is an important programme for BAE Systems and the capabilities that this facility provides are equal to anywhere in the world.

“We’re using state of the art machines and manufacturing techniques to ensure we can meet the rates of production that the F-35 programme demands.

“It’s fair to say that this facility is proof that we’re standing up to that challenge and we’re keeping ourselves at the forefront of UK manufacturing.”

Martin Wright, Chief Executive for the North West Aerospace Alliance added: “The F-35 programme is the largest defence project in the world and, through BAE Systems, will be the backbone of stability to our regional industry through those companies successful in winning F-35 contracts.

“This facility is somewhere in which our young people will want to work, to build knowledge, create jobs and secure the future of this magnificent industry of ours.”

The extension sets in motion the second part of a three-phase project to gear the plant towards peak rate production in production by 2016.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .