BAE awarded contract to support supply chain for F-35 EW system

BAE Systems announced today it has received a five-year contract worth more than $100 million from F-35 Joint Strike Fighter prime contractor Lockheed Martin to help strengthen the supply chain that supports the jet's electronic warfare suite.

"BAE Systems will maintain regional warehouses with on-hand inventories of critical EW components to improve fill rates and reduce wait times," according to a May 22 press release. "The company will also establish various metrics that will be used to further strengthen confidence in the supply chain."

BAE builds the F-35's EW system, the AN/ASQ-239, which is designed to provide improved situational awareness, advanced sensors and avionics and broadband protection.