U.S. defense manufacturer Northrop Grumman announced that it has delivered its 1,600th center fuselage for the F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft. According to a social media statement published by the company, the production line in Palmdale, California, is currently completing one center fuselage every 30 hours to support the global F-35 fleet.
1,600 F-35 center fuselages delivered on schedule. With a center fuselage completed every 30 hours, our teams are building at the pace needed to support the F-35 fleet.
On track. On time. Full speed ahead. pic.twitter.com/8RGXHv975T
— Northrop Grumman (@northropgrumman) September 2, 2026
The company stated that its Integrated Assembly Line (IAL) produces structures for all three variants of the stealth fighter using a common production infrastructure. The U-shaped facility, which began operations in 2011, utilizes more than 115 build stations and 22 automated systems.
According to Northrop Grumman, the integration of digital manufacturing tools, including augmented and virtual reality, has reduced assembly time by 35 percent and shortened the technician learning curve by 20 percent. The automated system was developed in collaboration with KUKA Systems North America to integrate automotive industry automation practices with aerospace tooling.
“We knew that automation and robotics would be key to meeting the F-35 program’s goal of continued high-volume production,” said Glenn Masukawa, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman’s Air Dominance division.