Feb 24 2006
Cytec Industries Inc. has announced that its Cytec Engineered Materials (CEM) business unit, a global provider of advanced materials for aerospace, high-performance automotive and other extreme-demand applications, has been awarded a $750 million requirements contract with Lockheed Martin for the supply of high-performance composite materials used in the manufacture of two fifth-generation stealth fighters: the U.S. Air Force’s F-22A Raptor and the multinational F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The contract runs through 2013.
Unmatched by any known or projected fighter aircraft or enemy air defense system, the F-22A will have better reliability and maintainability than any fighter aircraft in history, according to the USAF. The Raptor is designed to replace the F-15 air dominance fighter. The stealthy F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role fifth-generation fighter designed to replace aging AV-8B Harriers, A-10s, F-16s, F/A-18 Hornets and United Kingdom Harrier GR.7s and Sea Harriers. First flight is planned for this fall.
“Decades of vision, research, hard work and on-site customer support have resulted in an extensive CEM product portfolio and qualifications for military programs such as the Raptor and JSF,” said Cytec Engineered Materials’ President Steve Speak. “Production runs of the F-22A are expected to continue for the remainder of the decade, with JSF expected to stretch at least 10 years beyond that. Cytec is proud to play a critical, enabling role in the design and performance of such cutting-edge military programs.”
Among the Cytec products to be supplied to Lockheed Martin are CYCOM® 5250-4, a bismaleimide (BMI) prepreg known for performance-enhancing capability at high temperatures, thermoplastics materials that enhance damage tolerance and impact resistance; CYCOM® 977-3, a toughened epoxy resin, and various high-performance adhesive materials.
“Building on our long history of success on military programs such as the F-14, F-16, F/A-18 and C-17, CEM’s scientists and engineers worked closely with Lockheed Martin and its subcontractors to develop engineered material solutions that meet the extremely demanding requirements of the F-22A and JSF programs,” Speak added. “Through a collaborative approach, these solutions have been optimized to provide the right balance of performance and affordability. Cytec innovations are among several technologies that have enabled the exponential leap in defense capabilities of the Raptor and F-35 aircraft over previous military aircraft.”
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