Boeing Receives $1.6B Contract for P-8A Poseidon Low-Rate Initial Production
SEATTLE, Jan. 25, 2011 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] on Jan. 21 received a $1.6 billion contract from the U.S. Navy for low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The LRIP 1 contract is for six P-8A aircraft, spares, logistics and training devices.
The Navy plans to purchase 117 of the Boeing 737-based P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet. Initial operational capability is planned for 2013.
“Providing these production aircraft to the Navy fleet on schedule is our No. 1 goal,” said Chuck Dabundo, Boeing vice president and P-8 program manager. “This is an exciting day for Boeing and the Navy and a testament to the P-8 team’s hard work and determination.”
"This first production contract represents a significant commitment by the U.S. Navy to recapitalize its force of long-range maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft," said Capt. Leon Bacon, P-8A deputy program manager for the Navy. “Ensuring that this capability arrives on schedule and within budget remains our primary objective.”
Boeing will begin final assembly of the first LRIP aircraft at its Renton, Wash., facility this summer. The Poseidon team is using a first-in-industry in-line production process that draws on Boeing’s Next-Generation 737 production system. All P-8A-unique aircraft modifications will be made in sequence during fabrication and assembly.
“The in-line approach we’ve incorporated on this military derivative aircraft is already paying the dividends we expected by helping us improve efficiency and reduce costs,” said John Pricco, Boeing Commercial Airplanes P-8 program manager.
As part of the U.S. Navy System Development and Demonstration contract awarded to Boeing in 2004, the team is building and testing six flight-test and two ground-test aircraft. The first three flight-test planes, T1, T2 and T3, are completing testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The program’s static test plane, S1, recently completed its test program, which began in May 2009; S2, the fatigue test plane, will begin testing later this year.
A derivative of the Next-Generation 737-800, the Poseidon is built by a Boeing-led industry team that includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems and GE Aviation.
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Press Release - 100,000 flying hours for Eurofighter Typhoon
The operational fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons in service since the second half of 2003 achieved the impressive milestone of 100,000 flying hours in January 2011.
This total was celebrated today during an event held at Eurofighter headquarters in Munich, Germany. At the event were senior representatives from the Eurofighter programme, Eurofighter management agency NETMA alongside senior staff from all six customer nations including those from the export customers Austria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The 100,000 hours were achieved flying the Typhoons in the bitter cold weather of the Baltic Sea, in the temperate climate of the Tyrrhenian Coast, in the torrid heat of the Arabic Peninsula and over the rough South Atlantic Sea. A range of operational scenarios have tested the Typhoon to its limits and is testament to the reliability; operational readiness and the durability of the platform and systems under operational conditions.
Enzo Casolini, CEO of Eurofighter GmbH stated “This achievement for the Eurofighter programme demonstrates the maturity reached by the platform and the reliability of it as a defence system. In addition, this key event shows in clear terms what can be achieved through international cooperation and partnership. With so much achieved to date and so much still to look forward to, I am proud to say I am part of such a successful programme”.
With the first 5,000 flying hours achieved by November 2005, 10,000 hours came in August 2006, 20,000 in May 2007 and by August 2008 the Typhoon had surpassed 50,000 hours. This increase in activity matches the steady delivery of aircraft to the customers. The operational fleets have more than 260 aircraft in service - the largest number among the new generation fighters available in the world today.
These fleets are spread across a wide range of squadrons and deployments; six from the UK (four in Coningsby, one in Leuchars and one in Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands); four in Italy (two in Grosseto and two in Gioia del Colle); three in Germany (Laage, Neuburg and Nörvenich), as well as one each in Spain, Austria and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - all having contributed to the 100,000 flying hour total.
With Tranche 2 production in full swing, all 148 Tranche 1 aircraft delivered and the retrofit programme bringing them all to their latest block configuration, the Typhoon is establishing its footprint within the partner and export Customer air forces as the backbone of the operations both in terms of air dominance and ground support roles.
This new milestone for the Eurofighter programme provides another strong message about the operational availability of the Typhoon and highlights the benefits of investing in such a capable aircraft. Video footage of each nation participating in the 100,000th hour was shown to guests at the event. The video is available on line at www.eurofighter.com/media/video-library.html
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First Metal Cut for first A350 XWB series floor grid at Premium AEROTEC’s Augsburg plant
The first metal cut for the first series floor beam of the new Airbus A350 XWB was performed at Premium AEROTEC’s Augsburg plant today.
Augsburg, 24 enero 2011
The high-speed aluminium-lithium cutting centre had been newly equipped for the purpose, as had many other production facilities and hangars, particularly those for the production and processing of carbon fibre fuselage shells at the Nordenham and Augsburg plants. Premium AEROTEC is the world’s largest supplier of fuselage structures for the A350 XWB.
“We are well on track with our A350 production, and will deliver to our largest customer, Airbus, on time and on quality,” said Dr. Dieter Meiners, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and head of operations at Premium AEROTEC.
“Premium AEROTEC is once again demonstrating its flexibility and reliability as a strategic tier-1 supplier,” added Joachim Nägele, Premium AEROTEC executive management spokesman and head of programmes and sales.
“We are proud to be using state-of-the-art metal-cutting processes at our Augsburg plant yet again, and positioning our company at the forefront of technology in this area too,” said plant manager Peter Schwarz on the occasion of the first metal cut.
Premium AEROTEC GmbH has over 6,000 employees and generated revenues of 1.1 billion euros in 2009. Its core business is the development and manufacturing of metal and carbon composite aerostructures and the associated equipment and production systems. The company has production plants in Augsburg, Bremen, Nordenham and Varel in Germany, and in Ghimbav, Braşov County, Romania
EADS
Saab delivers nEUROn UAV fuselage to Dassault Aviation
Linköping, 25 January 2011. - Saab AB (Sweden) officially delivered the front and central fuselage sections of the nEUROn European UCAV technology demonstrator to the Prime contractor, Dassault Aviation (France). For both companies, this delivery constitutes an important milestone after six years of acquisition, sharing and strengthening of know how in the fields of technology and program cooperation. Both companies express their satisfaction about this success that will culminate in nEUROn’s maiden flight in mid-2012 to be followed by several flight test campaigns.
The Saab fuselage section will be transported from Linköping to Istres where it will meet the rear fuselage section already delivered in mid-January by HAI (Greece). The structural elements built by the other partners will rapidly converge towards Istres (France): the ordnance release pantograph by RUAG (Switzerland) will arrive end of February; the two half wings by EADS-CASA (Spain) will arrive beginning of March; the two weapon bay doors by Alenia (Italy) will arrive end of March; and the three landing gear doors by Saab will arrive in April. In addition, several stealthiness-related parts will be delivered by Dassault Aviation between January and March.
The Prime contractor with its five other industrial partners and the Executive Agency have already drawn substantial lessons from the program, including in the field of program management and schedule optimization. The Dassault team, assisted by the teams delegated to Istres by the various industrial partners, will perform the final layout, piping, electrical wiring and equipment fitting, as defined in the digital mock-up reference established by the six partners on the virtual plateau, as well as the final assembly. Then, during the last quarter of 2011, the Dassault Aviation team will perform the ground tests of the nEUROn, followed by the first engine run-up by end 2011, aiming at a maiden flight in mid-2012.
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