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 nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 were as follows:



	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
(In thousands)	2018			2017			2018			2017
Service cost	$	7,344		$	5,874		$	20,345		$	18,819
Interest cost	6,574			6,951			19,629			19,406
Expected return on plan assets	(14,598		)	(13,549		)	(44,009		)	(40,144		)
Amortization of prior service cost	(105		)	(24		)	(230		)	(75		)
Amortization of unrecognized actuarial loss	4,843			2,525			12,652			9,691
Net periodic benefit cost	$	4,058		$	1,777		$	8,387		$	7,697

During the nine months ended September 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 nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, the expense relating to the plan was $10.9 million and $10.0 million, respectively. The Corporation made $12.6 million in contributions to the plan during the nine months ended September 30, 2018, and expects to make total contributions of $14.0 million in 2018.