China Southern Airlines signs Airbus Flight Hour Services for the first A380 fleet in China

Airbus expands its airline customer base for extended services
Blagnac,  09 May 2011

China Southern Airlines, the first Chinese operator to fly the Airbus A380 aircraft, has signed a contract with Airbus for customized Flight Hour Services (FHS) for its fleet of five A380s, scheduled to be in service from the second half of 2011.

Airbus will deliver to China Southern Airlines a tailor-made FHS solution supported by the benchmark Airbus worldwide customer services system. This long-term agreement guarantees on-site availability of Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), related logistics and maintenance services for China Southern Airlines, which joins the club of growing Airbus FHS customers in Asia.

"The introduction of Airbus A380s and the Airbus A380 FHS to China Southern Airlines extends a long and successful partnership with Airbus. The fully customised Airbus Flight Hour Services solution for our A380 fleet will contribute to securing the highest service level our passengers are accustomed to," said Dong Suguang Executive Vice President Maintenance and Engineering of China Southern Airlines.

"With its introduction of Airbus A380s and becoming the first customer in China to operate this aircraft, China Southern Airlines again exhibits its innovative vision and excellent judgment. The A380 is the ideal aircraft to meet the demands of the fast growing travel market in China and Airbus FHS underlines our full commitment to service excellence," said Pierre Steffen, Senior Vice President Customer Service and Operations Airbus China.

"This agreement reinforces Airbus strong commitment to be integrally involved from aircraft choice, the entry into service and onwards securing the daily operations of our Airbus customers," said Didier Lux, Executive Vice President Customer Services of Airbus.

By the end of March 2011, China Southern Airlines operates the largest Airbus aircraft fleet in China, which includes 169 A320 Family and 18 A330s. In 2005, China Southern Airlines placed a firm order for five A380s, becoming the first Chinese airline to order the double-decker.

The Airbus FHS portfolio today includes 64 aircraft (from operators of A330, A340, and A380 aircraft) for six customers all benefiting from outstanding operational performance.


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EMBRAER DEFENSE AND SECURITY DECIDES ON AVIONICS OF KC-390 JET

São José dos Campos, May 4, 2011 – Embraer Defense and Security has selected the Pro Line FusionTM avionics system, manufactured by Rockwell Collins, to equip the KC-390 military transport aircraft.

"Embraer has chosen the best solution in latest-generation avionics available on the market, which will provide greater operational efficiency for the KC-390. The already solid commercial and technical relationship between Embraer and Rockwell Collins will be further strengthened by this new partnership in the defense and security area," said Eduardo Bonini Santos Pinto, COO, Embraer Defense and Security.

"Embraer's selection of our integrated avionics system will provide pilots with the most advanced commercial avionics capability, ruggedized to meet military mission requirements," said Dave Nieuwsma, Vice President and General Manager of Mobility and Rotary Wing Solutions for Rockwell Collins. "Pilots will benefit from the enhanced situational awareness and reduced workload to achieve mission success."

The Pro Line FusionTM by Rockwell Collins brings to the KC-390 the most modern avionics available, meets current and future needs of the aircraft and complies with the most recent Communication, Navigation and Surveillance for Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) requirements, with an advanced man-machine interface, automatic reconfiguration capability in case of damage, and high-capacity data exchange bus.

The beginning of flight tests of the KC-390 with the new avionics is expected for 2014 and the aircraft should go into service at the end of 2015.

About Rockwell Collins

Rockwell Collins (www.rockwellcollins.com) is a pioneer in developing and putting into service innovative solutions for communications and embedded electronics for application in the commercial and government markets. Rockwell Collins' expertise in avionics and cabin electronics, mission communications, information management, simulation and training is accomplished by 20,000 employees and a services and support network in 27 countries.

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Lockheed Martin-Built Next Generation Missile Warning Satellite Launched Successfully

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla., May 7th, 2011 -- The first Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous (GEO-1) spacecraft, built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Air Force, was successfully launched today at 2:10 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. SBIRS GEO-1 is the most technologically advanced military infrared satellite ever developed and will deliver vastly improved missile warning capabilities for the nation while simultaneously improving the Nation's missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness mission areas.

"Today's successful launch is a tribute to the hard work, dedication and unmatched expertise of the entire government and industry SBIRS team. I am proud of the women and men who have worked on this spacecraft, and am confident the nation will be proud of its performance on orbit," said Brig Gen (select) Roger W. Teague, the U.S. Air Force's Infrared Space Systems Directorate director. "SBIRS GEO-1 represents the dawn of a new era in overhead persistent infrared surveillance that will greatly improve our national security for years to come."

SBIRS GEO-1 includes highly sophisticated scanning and staring sensors that will deliver improved infrared sensitivity and a reduction in area revisit times over the current constellation. The scanning sensor will provide a wide area surveillance of missile launches and natural phenomena across the earth, while the staring sensor will be used to observe smaller areas of interest with superior sensitivity. These dual independent sensors will enhance early warning of missile launches around the globe, support the nation's ballistic missile defense system, greatly expand our technical intelligence gathering capability, and bolster situational awareness for warfighters on the battlefield.

"We understand the importance of the SBIRS mission and are proud to partner with the U.S. Air Force on this critical program," said Jeff Smith, Lockheed Martin's vice president and SBIRS program director. "Throughout the development of this first-of-its-kind satellite, our SBIRS team has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to operational excellence. As a result, we are confident SBIRS GEO-1 will deliver unprecedented, global, persistent, taskable infrared surveillance capabilities to the warfighter, nation and our allies for years to come."

The SBIRS team is led by the Infrared Space Systems Directorate at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. Lockheed Martin is the SBIRS prime contractor, with Northrop Grumman as the payload integrator. Air Force Space Command operates the SBIRS system.

"The launch of SBIRS GEO-1 heralds a new era for missile warning and other missions enabled by overhead persistent infrared sensors," said Steve Toner, Northrop Grumman's vice president of OPIR and Azusa Programs. "We can't wait to turn it on. These sensors are highly capable, and we know that they will be of great value to our war fighters, our nation, and our allies."

Lockheed Martin's original SBIRS contract includes HEO payloads, two geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellites, as well as ground-based assets to receive and process the infrared data. The team is also under a follow-on production contract to deliver additional HEO payloads and the third and fourth GEO satellites, and associated ground modifications.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.

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