LONDON, April 7 2016 – Work will begin this month on new facilities at RAF Marham to prepare for the arrival of the UK’s F-35 Lightning II aircraft in 2018.

The Ministry of Defence has awarded Lockheed Martin UK a £142 million contract to provide bespoke facilities to support the fifth generation jets at the Norfolk base that will be the home for the UK’s Lightning Force.

Over the next 28 months, the landscape at RAF Marham will be transformed as three new buildings are constructed to support the first Squadron of F-35s that will be based at RAF Marham from 2018.

The facilities, which consist of a Logistic Operations Centre, an Integrated Training Centre and a Maintenance and Final Finishes Building, will be where the pilots and crews can prepare to operate the aircraft and where the aircraft themselves will be maintained and supported.

Lockheed Martin UK has subcontracted BAE Systems to manage the project and construction firm Balfour Beatty who will construct the new facilities. The work will create approximately 300 jobs across the companies involved in the supply chain. 

The new facilities are due to handed over to the MoD in 2018 which will align with the expected arrival of 617 Squadron to RAF Marham.

Lockheed Martin UK Chief Executive Peter Ruddock said: “The start of work on these new facilities is a major step towards the Lightning Force being ready to operate the F-35s from the UK. This £142 million investment will transform RAF Marham and enable the base to deliver the fifth generation capabilities of the F-35.”

Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Programme Executive Vice President and General Manager Jeff Babione said “Lockheed Martin is honored to have this opportunity to build the facilities at RAF Marham, the future home for the UK’s F-35B Lightning II fleet. This is another step forward in delivering the capability of the F-35 air system, and we look forward to continuing our longstanding relationship with the Ministry of Defence.”

About Lockheed Martin UK
Lockheed Martin UK, headquartered in London, is the UK-based arm of Lockheed Martin Corporation, a global security and aerospace company. Lockheed Martin UK specialises in the development, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.