PBS GROUP Advances F-35 Work With Lockheed Martin
PBS GROUP is advancing a five-year F-35 manufacturing project with Lockheed Martin focused on additive, laser and advanced heat-treatment processes.
Czech aerospace manufacturer PBS GROUP is implementing a strategic cooperation project with Lockheed Martin focused on developing and certifying advanced manufacturing processes for components of the F-35 Lightning II fighter. The Czech consortium led by PBS will work across additive manufacturing, laser surface processing and advanced heat treatment during a five-year development, testing and implementation program.
The cooperation places PBS and its Czech partners closer to the F-35 industrial supply chain as the Czech Republic prepares to introduce 24 F-35A fighters. The original agreement was signed in May 2024, followed by US government review and approval before the project moved into implementation.
PBS leads Czech consortium developing F-35 manufacturing methods
PBS GROUP leads a Czech industrial and research consortium that also includes additive manufacturing specialist ONE3D and the HiLASE Centre at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Rather than simply supplying an existing component, the consortium is working on manufacturing processes intended to meet requirements for F-35 components.
The program includes additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, as well as laser surface enhancement and advanced heat treatment using vacuum and hot isostatic pressing, or HIP, furnaces. PBS said these technologies will support manufacturing of critical F-35 components while meeting the program's quality requirements.
Development, testing and implementation will proceed through multiple phases over the next five years, according to PBS. The program also requires investment in specialized equipment and manufacturing infrastructure in the Czech Republic.
The Czech consortium had already reached an earlier milestone in 2025 when representatives visited Lockheed Martin's F-35 manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas. During that visit, the Czech team presented results and reviewed subsequent phases with Lockheed Martin technical personnel.
US approval cleared Czech participation in the project
The industrial cooperation has been under development for almost two years.
PBS GROUP and its partners signed the formal agreement with Lockheed Martin in May 2024. Preparatory technical cooperation followed, with the project active from September 2024.
The Czech participants also underwent a US review process covering technical capabilities, credibility and compliance with international trade regulations. PBS announced in October 2024 that the review had concluded positively and that US authorities had issued the contract award needed for implementation.
The March 2026 announcement therefore represents the implementation of an industrial program that began alongside the Czech Republic's broader transition toward the F-35.
Czech F-35 program includes 11 Lockheed Martin industrial projects
The PBS-led program forms part of a broader package of Czech industrial cooperation connected with the country's F-35 acquisition.
On March 18, six days after the PBS announcement, Lockheed Martin confirmed that all 11 committed industrial cooperation project agreements associated with the Czech F-35 program had been signed and were in execution.
The final agreement involved Czech company Ray Service and covers establishing capability to manufacture F-35 wire harnesses. Lockheed Martin said the 11 projects collectively support Czech industry, the F-35 program and the broader defense industrial base.
PBS occupies a different position within that industrial structure because its project centers on developing and qualifying advanced manufacturing technologies.
That distinction could give the Czech industrial base capabilities applicable beyond a single production contract. Successful qualification of additive manufacturing, laser processing and advanced heat-treatment methods could provide participating companies with experience relevant to other aerospace and defense manufacturing programs.
Czech Republic prepares for 24 F-35A fighters
The industrial cooperation is developing as the Czech Republic prepares to introduce the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II into its air force.
Prague is acquiring 24 F-35A aircraft, with Czech pilot training expected to begin in 2029. Full operational capability is planned for 2035, according to Czech public broadcaster Česká televize.
For PBS GROUP, the F-35 work also represents a different branch of its aerospace business from the small turbojet engines that have driven its recent expansion in the UAV and missile propulsion market.
The company is simultaneously expanding production of its TJ-series engines and pursuing international aerospace partnerships. Its F-35 cooperation gives PBS exposure to advanced fighter manufacturing processes while its propulsion business addresses a separate segment of the defense aerospace market.
The next five years will determine whether the technologies developed by the Czech consortium complete qualification and move into sustained F-35 component manufacturing. PBS has not disclosed the specific F-35 components involved, their planned production quantities or the financial value of the project.
PBS and Lockheed Martin F-35 project: key questions
What will PBS GROUP produce for the F-35?
PBS GROUP leads a Czech consortium developing and certifying advanced manufacturing methods for F-35 components. The companies have not publicly identified the specific components involved.
Which Czech organizations are involved?
The consortium includes PBS GROUP, ONE3D and the HiLASE Centre at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. PBS GROUP leads the consortium.
Which technologies will the Czech consortium develop?
The project covers additive manufacturing, laser surface enhancement and advanced heat treatment using vacuum and HIP furnaces. Development, testing and implementation are planned across several phases over five years.
When did PBS GROUP begin working with Lockheed Martin?
The formal agreement was signed in May 2024, with preparatory technical cooperation following that year. The project subsequently passed a US government review and approval process before moving toward implementation.
