Northrop Grumman announced the delivery of the center fuselage for Israel's first purchased F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The center fuselage supports the F-35A variant, designated AS-1, which uses conventional takeoff and landing. The delivery makes Israel the eighth country to purchase a center fuselage for the F-35. The company produced the aircraft part for all three F-35 variants as part of the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 team producing the multi-role strike fighter.

"The delivery of the AS-1 center fuselage is a significant addition to the growing list of allied countries that have invested in owning and fielding the fifth generation F-35 aircraft," Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems F-35 program manager Brian Chappel said in a statement. "It also adds momentum to the success of our highly automated Integrated Assembly Line, which is helping increase the production rate, quality and affordability of the F-35 program."

Israel has ordered 33 F-35As through the U.S government's foreign military sales program. The jets delivered to Israel are similar to F-35s procured by other countries, with slight software and hardware modifications tethered to Israel's avionics components. The Israeli government expects deliveries of the jets to begin in 2016.

In addition to center fuselages, Northrop Grumman also develops radar, electro-optical, avionics, and communications subsystems for the F-35 program.

U.S. Air Force acquisition head leaves post for MITRE Corporation
Washington (UPI) Nov 18, 2015 - U.S. Air Force Assistant Secretary for Acquisition Dr. William LaPlante will leave his post for a senior position at the not-for-profit MITRE Corporation.

As assistant secretary for acquisition, LaPlante led the U.S. Air Force's procurement programs for weapons and other equipment. The Air Force notes his strategy and approach for the procurement of the Long Range Strike Bomber, a highly-anticipated defense contract ultimately awarded to Northrop Grumman.

"This has been the best job I've ever had," LaPlante said in a statement. "It's been an honor, but now I need to honor a long planned commitment I made to my family before I entered government service."

The Air Force, which has a nearly $43 billion per year acquisitions program, praised LaPlante for his acquisition strategies, which they say saved the branch nearly $6 billion in "Should-Cost" savings, the investment of which military officials say resulted in better weapons and warfighting capabilities for the branch.

"His efforts have saved billions of dollars, brought program risks and costs under control, and enhanced the professionalism of the Air Force acquisition team," said Pentagon acquisition undersecretary Frank Kendall.

LaPlante will remain advising the Department of Defense on technological innovations as part of the Defense Science Board. The MITRE Corporation, LaPlante's next employer, operates federally funded research and development centers, organizations that assist the U.S. government with scientific research, analysis, development, engineering and integration.

LaPlante was initially scheduled to leave his post earlier in 2015, but he decided to stay on staff as the award for the LRS-B faced several delays.