Lockheed Martin names manufacturing sites for LMXT tanker

Lockheed Martin’s LMXT strategic tanker aircraft will be manufactured in Mobile, Alabama, and Marietta, Georgia, the company has announced.

Introduced in September last year, the LMXT is the company’s offering for the US Air Force's KC-Y Bridge Tanker programme competition.

"Establishing this production work in Alabama and Georgia confirms Lockheed Martin's commitment that the LMXT will be built in America, by Americans, for Americans," said Lockheed Martin CEO James Taiclet. "The LMXT will strengthen global security by enabling our U.S. service members to carry out their most critical missions at extended ranges. At home, the LMXT will strengthen job growth and manufacturing by drawing on the experience and talents of a high-tech American workforce in two states that are proven leaders in aviation."

The LMXT represents the newest chapter in Lockheed Martin's 60-plus year history of producing and delivering tanker and large aircraft for the US Air Force, US Marine Corps, US Navy and multiple operators around the world.

Built on the combat-proven design of the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), the LMXT leverages known performance and capability insights from the strategic tanker of choice used by 14 nations around the world to currently refuel fighter, transport and maritime patrol aircraft for the U.S. and allied partners.

"Over our 50-year history in the US, some of our proudest moments have come from supporting our American service members," said C. Jeffrey Knittel, chairman and CEO of Airbus Americas. "Our U.S. workforce, which is more than 35% military veterans, is eager to see an Air Force tanker join the fleet of Airbus aircraft flying for the U.S. Army, National Guard, Navy and Coast Guard."

With Lockheed Martin as the prime contractor, the LMXT will be built in two phases:

The LMXT is first produced as an A330 airliner at Airbus's Mobile, Alabama, facility, which is where Airbus A320 and A220 commercial airliners are built.

The second phase of manufacturing includes converting the commercial aircraft into the LMXT tanker at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' Marietta, Georgia, facility, which is currently home to the C-130J Super Hercules final production and F-35 centre wing assembly lines.

Lockheed Martin and Airbus entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in 2018 to explore aerial-refuelling solutions to address any refuelling capacity shortfalls for the US Air Force, with the MRTT at the centre of its discussions.

The LMXT is a result of this MOA, offering a proven airframe with distinct US Air Force-only capabilities built by a highly skilled American workforce in two states that lead the nation in aerospace manufacturing.

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