DOD assigns initial F-35 MRO&U capability

Washington, D.C. – The Department of Defense has assigned F-35 maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrade (MRO&U) capability for the first component repair assignments outside the continental United States (OCONUS) for the first 65 of 774 repairables. The assignments were based on data compiled and analyzed by the F-35 Joint Program Office that was collected from partner nations, foreign military sales (FMS) customers, and their industries. These initial regional MRO&U assignments will support near-term component repair requirements in support of F-35 overseas operations and maintenance and will be reviewed and updated as program needs dictate, but no later than the next five years.

Component repair assignments are for global repairs from 2021 to 2025 and for regional repairs from 2025 and beyond.

2021 to 2025 global repair assignments
The Department of Defense has assigned 48 of the first 65 components to the United Kingdom and 14 of the first 65 components to the Netherlands, and 3 components to Australia for global repairs from 2021 to 2025. From 2021 to 2025, these repair capabilities in the UK, Australia, and the Netherlands will serve all F-35s around the world.

2025 and beyond: regional repair assignments
For the European Region, the Department has assigned 51 of the first 65 components to the UK, and 14 of the first 65 components to the Netherlands, with this repair capability to be activated in 2025.

For the Pacific Region, the Department has assigned 64 of the first 65 components to Australia and 1 component assigned to Korea with this repair capability to be activated by 2025.

"This is the first of many opportunities we will have to assign F-35 global sustainment solutions for component repair work," said F 35 Program Executive Officer, Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan. "As international F-35 deliveries increase and global operations expand, support provided by our international F-35 users becomes increasingly more important. We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside these nations on a daily basis; this close teamwork enables the US Defense Department to make well-informed, best-value decisions to shape the F-35 global sustainment posture for decades to come."

Assignment of initial F-35 component repair capability represents about 8% of total amount of repairable work.

In 2014 the Department of Defense assigned F-35 MRO&U capability beginning in 2018 for airframes and engines for the European Region to Italy, the UK, Turkey, the Netherlands, and Norway, and for the Pacific Region to Japan and Australia.

Source: F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office