Australia's Quickstep gets more JSF work

An F-35A Lightning II, marked AA-1, lands at Edwards Air Force Base, California

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes

04/02/11 By Greg Waldron / Flight International

Australia's Quickstep Technologies has signed a long-term agreement with Northrop Grumman to produce parts for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Under the deal the Australian aerospace manufacturing firm will make access panels, fuel tank covers, aircraft skins, and in-board weapons bay doors, says Australia's minister for defence materiel Jason Clare. Quickstep has also signed a memorandum of understanding with another Australian company, Marand Precision Engineering, to supply vertical tail skins for the JSF.