Air Force, Orbital ATK enter long-term sustainment support agreement for military aircraft
NewsSeptember 08, 2017
DULLES, Va. The U.S. Air Force Sustainment Center entered into a partnership agreement with Orbital ATK to help support military aircraft.
This partnership agreement will facilitate strategic teaming to address future composite aerostructure needs on new aircraft platforms or the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) of existing platforms. The combined capability of the three U.S. Air Force MRO depots that comprise the Sustainment Center and Orbital ATK will enable opportunities to assist each other in on-going programs and contracts.
"This partnership is a great opportunity to combine the complementary capabilities in advanced composite materials fabrication, test and inspection held by the U.S. Air Force Sustainment Center and Orbital ATK to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of both operations,” says Steve Earl, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK's Aerospace Structures Division.
The public-private partnership incorporates complementary, composite aerostructure design, manufacturing, and inspection capabilities at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma; the Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah; the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and Orbital ATK's Aerospace Structures Division headquartered in Clearfield, Utah.
"It is remarkable that the world’s leading centers for advanced composite fabrication can partner long-term to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of all operations involved and ultimately increase the speed at which aircraft are repaired and returned to the field,” says U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Lee Levy, Commander, Air Force Sustainment Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
The U.S. Air Force Sustainment Center has a long history of providing sustainment and logistics readiness to deliver combat power for America. Included within this sustainment activity are advanced composite structures fabrication, inspection and repair capabilities that have been vital to the MRO of the nation’s most advanced military aircraft.
Orbital ATK has been extensively involved in the design, development and fabrication of multiple composite structures ranging from filament wound rocket motor cases produced since the 1950's to critical structural components for advanced military aircraft, such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II combat fighter, and new-generation commercial platforms, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 widebody aircraft.
