Goodrich to supply flight control components for Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 fighter jets

Goodrich Corporation has been selected by Al Raha Group for Technical Services to supply a variety of its GRID-LOCK flight control surfaces for retrofit on the Royal Saudi Air Force's (RSAF) F-15 fighter jet fleet. Production deliveries will start in late 2010 and continue through mid 2011. The GRID-LOCK components will be produced by Goodrich's Aerostructures team in Riverside, Calif. Under the contract, Goodrich will provide 10 different GRID-LOCK components to enable retrofit of the RSAF fleet of more than 150 F-15 fighters. Components include ailerons, flaps, rudder fairings and wing tips. Goodrich currently provides these same components for the U.S. Air Force's F-15 fleet. GRID-LOCK technology joins machined structural components to make strong, lightweight parts out of a few interlocking pieces. As a result, GRID-LOCK components are more durable and corrosion-resistant than their bonded aluminum honeycomb counterparts. For the F-15, Goodrich provides GRID-LOCK structures for both new production and retrofit aircraft; retrofit customers include air forces in the U.S., Japan, Korea, and Singapore. "GRID-LOCK flight controls are proven to reduce life cycle costs significantly, while being lighter and more damage-tolerant than traditional honeycomb flight control structures," said Marc Duvall, president, Goodrich Aerostructures. "The RSAF recognized the improved lifecycle costs that the U.S. Air Force is realizing on its flight control surfaces as a result of this innovative technology."