Northrop delivered center fuselage for Israel Air Force's first F-35 Lightning II.

"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," said Brian Chappel, vice president and F-35 program manager, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "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."

To date, Northrop Grumman has completed center fuselages for F-35 customers in eight countries including the U.S.

As a principal member of the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 industry team, Northrop Grumman designed and produces the center fuselage for all three F-35 variants: the F-35A; the F-35B short takeoff vertical landing variant; and the F-35C carrier variant.

The company produced the AS-1 center fuselage as part of the eighth low rate initial production lot of F-35s. AS-1 is the 39th center delivered by Northrop Grumman from Palmdale this year.

Israel has ordered 33 F-35As under the U.S. government's foreign military sales program. These jets are similar to the F-35As produced for F-35 international partner countries, except they will require minor software and hardware modifications to accommodate several Israel-provided avionics components.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics will perform final assembly and checkout of the F-35s in Fort Worth, Texas. The first Israeli F-35 is slated for delivery in 2016.

Northrop Grumman plays a key role in the development and production of the F-35 weapons system. In addition to producing the jet's center fuselage, the company produces key F-35 radar, electro-optical, avionics and communications subsystems. It also develops mission systems and mission-planning software; develops and maintains pilot and maintainer training systems courseware; and manages the team's use, support and maintenance of low-observable technologies.