Copenhagen. 18 February 2019 . U.S. Department of Defense F-35 Joint Program Office announced Avionics Test Center Denmark to be responsible for maintenance of avionics (16 components) for the F-35 fighter aircraft. During the period of 2021-2025 Avionics Test Center Denmark (ATCD) formed by Terma and Scandinavian Avionics in collaboration with the U.S. will be responsible for repair and maintenance globally of avionics components.
“We are very proud to be selected by the F-35 program to play an essential role in the global F-35 sustainment network. It is a great day for both Terma and for Danish industry since the perspectives for Denmark now being part of the F-35 operational setup in decades to come are huge,” said Lars Hedemann Hilligsøe, Senior Vice President, Terma Support and Services. From 2025 ATCD will be responsible for regional repair and maintenance of avionics components within Europe.
ATCD’s sustainment work will take place in Denmark. Major General Henrik R. Lundstein, Director of the Fighter Aircraft Program in Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) says: “It is very satisfying that the Danish Defence’ close collaboration with the industrial consortium consisting of Scandinavian Avionics and Terma has resulted in Danish industry now being awarded the first major F-35 maintenance contract. This shows that the Danish defense industry is able to compete with the largest companies in the market on competitive terms, i.e. price, time, delivery security, and quality.”
In April 2018, the Danish companies Terma and Scandinavian Avionics submitted a joint response, to a so-called Request for Information (RFI), on maintenance of F-35 components. For this purpose, the two companies established Avionics Test Center Denmark, which has now been selected to carry out the task. Avionics Test Center Denmark was established in March 2018. Back from left: Danish Minister of Defence Claus Hjort Frederiksen and Major General Henrik R. Lundstein, Fighter Aircraft Program.
The RFI that ATCD has won parts of is the second procurement of F-35 components repair to be published. The initial RFI (Tier 1) covers – together with the RFI for Tier 2 – approx. 60% of all the F-35 components published for repair. The remaining approx. 40% will be published among the F-35 Partnership countries later this year and in 2020.
