Press Release

Date: March 24, 2003
Contact: Michael Grandinetti
(781) 781 302-1214
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Senior Aerospace, Metal Bellows Will Provide Reservoirs For The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program

Sharon, MA.. Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows today announced that it has been awarded a contract for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. The contract is to produce reservoirs for the electro-hydrostatic actuation system that Moog and Parker Hannifin will deliver. The award has been made for the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase.

"Our reservoirs have a long history of superior performance and reliability in both commercial and military aircraft," said Peter Fontecchio, CEO of Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows. "The distinctive all welded stainless steel construction eliminates the problems typically associated with elastomeric seals on traditional piston or bladder devices," he noted. "This construction provides maintenance free service, high reliability and long life."

The award, for the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase, calls for delivery through 2006 and has a total value of approximately $450K for Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is the principal focus of the U.S. Department of Defense initiative to develop cost-effective, next generation aircraft weapons systems. The F-35 will be designed in three variants: the A variant, conventional (CTOL) for the Air Force; the B variant, short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) for the Marines and United Kingdom, and the C variant, a carrier version (CV) for the Navy.

There are 10 reservoirs on the CTOL/STOVL aircraft for the flaperons, rudders, and horizontal tails. There are an additional 2 reservoirs on the CV aircraft for the ailerons. The award covers engineering design and development, qualification, and hardware delivery requirements. The first flight of a developmental F-35 is scheduled for late 2005. Production of operational F-35s will begin in 2006 and result in the delivery of at least 2,500 aircraft by 2026. The total program value is approximately $50 million for Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows.

"We are proud to be working on the next generation of aircraft with partners like Moog and Parker Hannifin" Fontecchio said.

Since 1955, Senior Aerospace has provided custom engineered solutions to meet and exceed customers' mechanical and electromechanical component and assembly requirements. At Metal Bellows, we apply our welded bellows technology to applications requiring superior performance and high reliability – like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.

Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows is a Senior plc company.

Senior is an international engineering group with annual sales of around £400m and with operations in 12 countries. Senior designs, manufactures and markets high technology components and systems for the principal original equipment producers in the worldwide aerospace, automotive and specialized industrial markets. Senior’s policy is to enhance shareholder value by improving operating performance and customer service levels and by developing its market positions in the aerospace and automotive industries.