GKN Aerospace continues its successful partnership with Lockheed Martin on the F-22A with further contract wins. The Company has gained two new contracts, with a combined value of just under $15m. These cover the supply of the Inlet Lip Assembly - on a dual source basis, and the Chine Edge - as the sole source supplier. These wins closely follow the announcement, in late 2006, of GKN Aerospace as the sole source supplier for the $50m horizontal stabilator contract for the F-22A.

Jay Fitzsimmons, President and CEO, GKN Aerospace, Aerostructures, North America comments: "These two contracts continue an extremely important partnership for us with Lockheed Martin, on the F-22A program. Globally we supply high performance metallic and composite assemblies for the aircraft wing, body and engine plus the complete advanced cockpit canopy system. Overall our work on this key program is worth over $5m per ship set to our business. GKN Aerospace is proud to support Lockheed Martin in the production of the F-22."

Both the inlet lip assembly and the chine edge are complex composite assemblies that play an important role in maximising the stealth characteristics of the aircraft.

The inlet lip assembly is the inlet edge that surrounds the engine intake. It is made up of multiple hand lay-up and resin transfer molded composite details which are assembled into extremely tight tolerance requirements. GKN Aerospace will manufacture and assemble this part for 50% of the aircraft in lots 5 - 9. First deliveries commence this year and continue through to 2009.

The chine edge is the structural cover over the area where the cockpit and fuselage transition into the wing. This co-cured composite assembly is another critical component of the F-22 airframe. The contract covers aircraft lots 6 - 9, with deliveries commencing by the end of 2007 and continuing to 2009. Work on both contracts will take place alongside the F-22A stabilator manufacture and assembly, at GKN Aerospace's St Louis, Missouri plant.