Lockheed Receives First Materion-Built Cast Components for F-35 EOTS; W. Glenn Maxwell Comments

Materion Beryllium & Composites has handed over an initial batch of aluminum-beryllium casting products to Lockheed Martin after the Materion Corp. subsidiary secured first-article inspection approval.

Lockheed will integrate the Materion-made AlBeCast aluminum-beryllium components with its Electro-Optical Targeting System onboard F-35 fighter jets, Materion said Tuesday.

Lockheed’s EOTS has infrared sensors designed to help F-35 pilots carry out reconnaissance operations and deploy laser-guided weapons.

W. Glenn Maxwell, president of Materion performance metals group, said the company has received another order for AlBeCast investment castings and secured materials contracts for six other beryllium components in Lockheed’s EOTS.

The AlBeCast alloys are designed to have lower thermal expansion rates, reduced densities and higher dampening capacities than aluminum.