PENSION PLANS

The following tables are consolidated disclosures of all domestic and foreign defined pension plans as described in the Corporation’s 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Pension Plans

The components of net periodic pension cost for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 were as follows:



	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
(In thousands)	June 30,						June 30,
	2018			2017			2018			2017
Service cost	$	6,495		$	6,474		$	13,001		$	12,945
Interest cost	6,521			6,236			13,055			12,455
Expected return on plan assets	(14,695		)	(13,310		)	(29,411		)	(26,595		)
Amortization of prior service cost	(62		)	(26		)	(125		)	(51		)
Amortization of unrecognized actuarial loss	3,903			3,585			7,809			7,166
Net periodic benefit cost	$	2,162		$	2,959		$	4,329		$	5,920

During the six months ended June 30, 2018, the Corporation made a $50 million contribution to the Curtiss-Wright Pension Plan, and does not expect to make any further contributions in 2018. Contributions to the foreign benefit plans are not expected to be material in 2018.

Defined Contribution Retirement Plan

Effective January 1, 2014, all non-union employees who were not currently receiving final or career average pay benefits became eligible to receive employer contributions in the Corporation’s sponsored 401(k) plan. The employer contributions include both employer match and non-elective contribution components, up to a maximum employer contribution of 6% of eligible compensation. During the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, the expense relating to the plan was $7.4 million and $6.8 million, respectively. The Corporation made $10.8 million in contributions to the plan during the six months ended June 30, 2018, and expects to make total contributions of $14.0 million in 2018.