WASHINGTON — Rolls-Royce has opened a new repair facility for its F-35 engine components, a location the company intends to be the sustainment home of its portion of the F-35 business — at least for now.

The Plainfield, Indiana, facility will support the company's F-35 LiftSystem, which provides the hover capability for the F-35B models. Italy, the UK and the US Marine Corps all plan to operate the B model of the stealth fighter, with the Marines expected to go operational with the jet this summer.

The new facility represents an investment of more than $10 million, split "about 50/50" between the company and the Marines, said Tom Hartmann, senior vice president for customer business at Rolls-Royce North America.

To coincide with the new facility, Rolls is consolidating the production of the core components on its LiftSystem to the region. Most of the parts are already being produced at a facility near Plainfield, while the company is moving production of its three-bearing swivel duct to the US. That work is currently done in the United Kingdom.

Having the facilities nearby "allows us to make our work very efficient," Hartmann said, adding that the company has "sized it with growth in mind for the future."

The F-35 announced plans for a global sustainment network last summer, with the first wave of heavy airframe and engine sustainers announced in December. "Heavy" maintenance covers work involving changes or repair to the body of the aircraft, such as a replacement of a bulkhead or the fixing of a wing.

In Europe, Italy will provide heavy airframe maintenance for Europe, with the UK potentially gaining extra business in the future if Italy cannot handle the workload. Turkey, meanwhile, will be the first of three European heavy engine maintenance facilities to come online, eventually followed by Norway and the Netherlands.

In the Pacific, Japan and Australia will both have a piece of the engine and airframe sustainment pie.

Despite the new facility, Hartmann said no decision has been made on how the LiftSystem global sustainment will be handled globally. Instead, he called the new facility an "interim" solution designed to meet requirements for the F-35B fleet while final decisions are made.

"The Marines are still studying, everyone is studying how they want to support the system for sustainment, but we are investing, committed and ready now to support them with our interim facility," he said. "We are working with them, funded by them, to study what the greater integration is with the support structure."

Hartmann added that he understands it is his understanding that the Marines hope to finish have their studies done in time to inform the service's fiscal 2017 budget request. It will likely take longer than that to determine how international sustainment will work, with Hartmann adding that his company has not begun conversations with potential international partners.

"We're trying to lean forward and be ready as the Marine Corps moves to [initial operating capability] IOC this year," he said. "We're trying to be ready and be able to support them fully when they take this thing into operation."

Last month Rolls was awarded three contracts, with a total value of $442 million, covering production and sustainment for the 17 LiftSystems included in F-35 low-rate initial production lots 7 and 8.

Email: amehta@defensenews.com

Twitter: @AaronMehta

About Aaron Mehta

Aaron Mehta was deputy editor and senior Pentagon correspondent for Defense News, covering policy, strategy and acquisition at the highest levels of the Defense Department and its international partners.

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