The F-35 wings program received the Ahead of Ready Award. IAI’s F-16 wings, vertical fins and conformal fuel tank programs received the Mission Focused Award.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics selects a limited number of award recipients each year from more than 1,400 active suppliers worldwide. Senior company representatives presented the awards to IAI leadership at a ceremony held at IAI.
IAI has participated in the F-35 program since 2014 and delivered its 350th wing to Lockheed Martin in February 2026. It has supplied major F-16 structures for more than 30 years, including the conformal fuel tank jointly developed by the two companies.
“The partnership between IAI and Lockheed Martin spans nearly four decades and is built on mutual trust, technological cooperation and a shared commitment to supporting critical aerospace and defense programs,” said Guy Bar Lev, IAI’s president and chief executive. “Over the years, our companies have worked together to meet evolving operational needs and deliver advanced capabilities to customers worldwide.”
“We look forward to continuing to strengthen this partnership in the years ahead,” Bar Lev said. The relationship dates to the late 1980s and covers aerostructures development and production.
“Trust is the foundation of our partnership with Lockheed Martin,” said Yaacov Berkovitz, executive vice president and general manager of IAI’s Aviation Group. “For years, our teams have worked side by side, delivering quality, value, and on-time performance with consistency and reliability.”
“This shared commitment to excellence enables us to support critical programs, meet demanding requirements, and help ensure success for Lockheed Martin and its customers around the world,” Berkovitz said. Kyle Franklin, vice president of Global Supply Chain at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, described receiving both awards as “an outstanding achievement by IAI.”
The supplier awards assess quality, delivery, operational performance and customer support. IAI’s wider aerostructures business manufactures and assembles complex composite and metallic structures for military and commercial aircraft programs.
