As Lockheed Martin's beleaguered F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl) variant begins sea trials that could prove pivotal to its survival, Rolls-Royce is working to eke out cost savings from a newly completed factory dedicated to making the aircraft's complex lift-fan system. The first production-standard F-35B lift fan to be built at Rolls's $13 million purpose-built lift-fan assembly site in Indianapolis was set to be delivered on Oct. 10, just a week after test aircraft BF-2 made its first vertical landing on the USS Wasp, an amphibious assault ship.
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