Singapore
FEB. 13, 2014
Airshow News
TM
THURSDAY
AINONLINE.COM
DAVID McINTOSH
black knights unite The Republic of Singapore Air Force’s Black Knights display team has spent the past six months perfecting its impressive routine, performed daily at the air show.
by Chris Pocock The war of words between the system integrators and radar houses that are chasing the F-16 upgrade market intensified here this week. With 3,500 Fighting Falcons still flying, at least one-third of which might be upgraded, the stakes are high. Here in Singapore, BAE Systems Inc. and Raytheon are hoping that the local Ministry of Defence will entertain their rival proposal(s) to the solution offered by Lockheed Martin (LM) and Northrop Grumman (NG). The contract to upgrade the RSAF’s F-16s could be
worth almost $2.5 billion. Lockheed Martin confirmed to AIN on Tuesday that it is now under contract from Taiwan for the kits that will enable the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) to upgrade its fleet of 150 F-16A/Bs. Some time ago, the ROCAF followed the U.S. Air Force (USAF) in choosing LM’s solution, labeled the F-16V, which comprises the NG scalable agile beam radar (SABR); a new center pedestal display; new electronic warfare system; and additional functionality in the mission computer. Bill McHenry, LM’s F-16 business development manager, denied allegations that Taiwan will have to pay more than the $1.85 billion that was previously announced, to upgrade 145 F-16A/B models. The speculation has arisen because budget pressures seem likely to force the USAF to abandon the upgrade of its own large fleet, thus potentially increasing the
Continued on page 8 u
Singapore order tally hits $30B by AIN Staff Leasing groups Amedeo and Dubai announced in Singapore on Wednesday, Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) yesterday Boeing and Thai low-fare carrier NokAir pushed the airliner orders tally for the 2014 yesterday announced a commitment to Singapore Airshow close to $30 billion, order eight 737-800NGs and seven 737 with separate deals for up 60 new aircraft. Max 8s. Potentially worth $1.45 billion at list prices, the deal Amedeo, which up until Monday this week was would establish Nok known as Doric Lease Air as the first airline in Corp., firmed up an order Thailand to operate the for 20 Airbus A380s that 737 Max. had been the subject of a ATR also signed a memorandum of under$200 million agreement standing signed at the last with Bangkok Airways Paris Air Show in June for up to eight ATR72600s. This and the DAE 2013. Meanwhile DAE order add to the European inked a $1 billion contract regional aircraft maker’s with ATR for up to 40 Dubai Aerospace Enterprise managing ATR 72-600s turboprops. director Khalifa Al Daboos (left) with Singapore Airshow tally Continued on page 4 u In other business ATR chief executive Filippo Bagnato. MARK WAGNER
F-16 upgrade contenders square off
Personal Flying
Exhibition
Unmanned Systems
Flying Display
Maintenance
Wings Over Asia
RSAF Pavilion
Global Hawk’s Eastern Promise
The Eagles Have Landed
LHT Expands in Asia
Cirrus, the manufacturer of light piston singles, is rare in bringing a piston single to the show, alongside Cessna with its TTX. Wings Over Asia at Seletar could be a new hub for developing private/personal flying, however. Page 10
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has put together an impressive pavilion at its home airshow, to go with the spectacular flying displays being flown by the Black Knights team, and various aircraft in the static display. Page 12
The Republic of Korea could move closer to ordering four Global Hawks in the coming weeks, while Japan says it would like to acquire three and Australia has expressed renewed interest also. Page 18
Korea’s Black Eagles have brought their indigenously developed T-50 supersonic jets to put on an original display for Singapore Airshow visitors, working around the close proximity to Changi International Airport. Page 19
Lufthansa Technik has long recognized the importance of developing partnerships in Asia. From Beijing to the Philippines, and from Sri Lanka to Singapore, it is working hard to support airlines. Page 20
Go to AINonline.com/Singapore14 for the latest airshow news.
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The Royal Australian Air Force puts Boeing’s F/A-18F Super Hornet through its paces in the show’s daily flying display. Among the interested observers will have been Malaysian officials since the country is shopping for a replacement for its MiG-29 fighters. Other contenders would include Dassault’s Rafale, the Saab Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon–assuming Malaysia’s budget permits the acquisition.
Airshow News
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Airliner orders reach $30B uContinued from page 1
which started with an order for six aircraft from Spain’s Binter Canarias. A380 Boost
MARK WAGNER
Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier and John Leahy, chief operating officer for customers, joined Amedeo CEO Mark Lapidus in signing the contract
for their A380s. The parties valued the aircraft at $8.3 billion at list price. Amedeo has not yet decided on an engine choice for the A380s between the Engine Alliance GP7200 and Rolls-Royce Trent 900. Lapidus said the leasing company does not currently have customers for the A380 acquisition, which he described as a “speculative order.” However, he added: “What is certain about this agreement is we have commitments.”
The schedule calls for five or six A380 deliveries per year between 2016 and 2020. The airplane’s baseline cabin configuration features a threeclass, 573-seat layout, with 427 seats on the lower main deck. “The growth in traffic is very reasonably back in every market of the world,” Lapidus said. Scheduling and slot constraints on certain routes will favor airlines that operate the superjumbo, he added. Prior to being rebranded as Amedeo, the leasing company ranked as the third largest widebody lessor worldwide by fleet value and the world’s largest asset manager of leased A380s, the companies said. Its portfolio of managed aircraft was valued at $6.8 billion, which included 18 A380s acquired through sale-leaseback agreements. Last year, it added four more A380s. Boeing Direct
Patee Sarasin (center), CEO of Thailand’s Nok Air celebrates the carrier’s choice of Boeing 737-800NG and the new Max 8 model for its fleet expansion plan.
More Flight Training in Singapore Also on Wednesday, Airbus and Singapore Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a flight-training joint venture in Singapore. The Airbus Asia Training Center will initially operate from the SIA training center near Changi Airport before moving to Seletar Aerospace Park when a dedicated facility is completed. It will provide type rating and recurrent training on full-flight simulators for Airbus A320, A330, A340, A350 and A380 types. Airbus will own 55 percent of the joint venture; Singapore Airlines will own the remaining 45 percent. The parties will initially contribute $63 million toward the facility in proportion to their respective shareholdings. They expect operations to begin by the end of the year. Airbus’s air traffic management subsidiary, Airbus ProSky, announced that it will open a new office in Singapore in April. The announcement came a year after the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Airbus ProSky agreed to jointly develop a concept of operations for air traffic flow management in the region based on collaborative decision making. n
NokAir’s deal with Boeing calls for eight 737-800NGs and seven 737 Max 8s, making it the first operator of the new generation Max in Thailand. Boeing said it will work with the Bangkok-based airline to finalize the details of the agreement. Appearing with Boeing vice president of sales for Asia Pacific and India Dinesh Keskar, Nok Air CEO Patee Sarasin said he expected to close the deal “very, very soon.” While Nok Air now flies a fleet of 14 leased 737s to 26 destinations, the order would mark the airline’s first direct sales contract with Boeing. Sarasin indicated the deal would involve a sale-leaseback transaction and serve as the basis of a plan to replace several members of his aging fleet.
4 Singapore Airshow News • February 13, 2014 • www.ainonline.com
“This commitment is a major step in our growth strategy,” said Sarasin. “The 737 is the backbone of our fleet and will continue to be in the future. These airplanes position us for growth and ensure that we’ll continue to operate the most reliable and fuel-efficient aircraft.” DAE Regional
DAE’s ATR deal covers 20 firm orders and options for 20 more. Deliveries are scheduled between 2015 and 2018 and the deal is DAE’s first order for regional aircraft and ATR’s first deal with a Middle Eastern leasing company. “We aim to diversify our portfolio and expand into regional aircraft to meet an increasing demand from airlines that are developing regional air connectivity,” Khalifa Al Daboos, DAE’s managing director, said. He claimed to hold lease commitments from airlines for all of the first 20 aircraft. The 68to 74-seaters will be mostly configured in two classes, he added. The contract with Bangkok Airways includes six firm orders and two options. The carrier began operating ATRs in 1994 and president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth made it clear it was time for replacing some of the current eight ATR 72-500s, which the new purchase is essentially for. He also hinted at possible future fleet growth. The firm ordered aircraft are scheduled for delivery this year (one), 2015 (four) and 2016 (one). Pilots will train on an upgraded simulator at L-3’s training center in Bangkok. o
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Mitsubishi says MRJ has hit its stride
DAVID McINTOSH
by Gregory Polek
all eyes skyward In an age when it seems most of the people on city streets are buried in the screens of their phones, there’s still one surefire recipe for capturing the imagination of a crowd. Start with thin air. Add a dash of adrenalin-pumping speed. Bring to a high heat with jet fuel fired by afterburners. Then mix thoroughly with a combination of stomach-churning aerobatics and high-g loops and rolls. Add a dash of colored smoke, and you have it. And with one look at how enthralled these skygazers are by the spectacle of the Singapore Airshow, you can almost taste it.
uContinued from page 1
cost to others. But as Jeff Leavitt, v-p combat avionics at NG noted here yesterday, the USAF has almost fully funded development of the SABR in the past three years, and it is technically mature. Leavitt delivered a measured but forceful case for air forces to choose the SABR rather than the Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar (RACR). Both Taiwan and the U.S. Air Force have selected RACR. After outlining some special features such as “big” SAR mapping at high resolution, and auto-target cueing, Leavitt said that SABR was “on schedule and within the target price.” The message from both LM and NG this week was that they are the reliable incumbents, with vast experience of updating the F-16 already. “We have a lineage of commonality, bringing multiple customers together,” McHenry told AIN. In a tilt at BAE Systems, he added: “The radar is the heart-and-soul of a fighter aircraft–to replace it is a significant challenge. We have the most experience of integrating AESAs, having done the F-16 Block 60, the F-22 and F-35.” BAE Systems claims competence to upgrade F-16s on its status as a major subsystems supplier on the jet, including electronic warfare, plus a series of significant work programs on the U.S. Air National Guard fleet, including a high-speed Internet backbone. John Bean, v-p global fighter programs at BAE’s U.S.-based Support Solutions organization, told AIN: “We package the boxes…to be easily adaptable. We avoid excessive downtime…
there’s no need to gut the airplane.” BAE’s message hit home in Korea, which preferred the company to LM for the upgrade of more than 130 F-16C/ Ds. After a separate evaluation of the radars, the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) chose the RACR instead of the SABR. Raytheon claimed recently to be “the industry leader in AESA technology development” to include retrofitting F-15s and F-18s. Singapore seems likely to be the third country to confirm an upgrade, to about 60 F-16C/D/D+ models. As well as the radar, the upgrade would include joint helmet-mounted cueing systems, new weapons such as the GBU-38/49/50 and the CBU-105, plus embedded
GPS/INS and advanced IFF. A recent notification to U.S. Congress by the Pentagon carefully avoided specifying the system integrator or the radar, in what would be a $2.43 billion program. The Singapore aircraft are unique outside Israel in having an Elbit mission computer known as the I-GAC, rather than the GAC or MMC versions found on other F-16s. They also have Israeli weapons and electronic warfare systems. Singapore insisted on this to preserve independence in operational flight programing. An informed source told AIN here this week that the U.S. has conceded this point in respect to the F-16 upgrade, paving the way for Singapore to revert to an upgraded MMC, if it so chooses. o
Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16s, including this two-seat block 52 on display here at the Singapore Airshow, are slated for upgrade.
8 Singapore Airshow News • February 13, 2014 • www.ainonline.com
MARK WAGNER
F-16 upgrade
Mitsubishi Aircraft executives here at the Singapore Airshow yesterday insisted that the four-times-delayed MRJ program has found its stride, notwithstanding recent concerns expressed by its largest customer, SkyWest of the U.S. During a program update at the Singapore Airshow, Mitsubishi Aircraft (Booth V87) director and head of sales Yugo Fukuhara reported that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will join the wings to the first fuselage in April, followed by the tail “in a few months.” Schedules now call for completion of certification testing and first delivery to Japan’s All Nippon Airways in the second quarter of 2017, two years after first flight. “All our customers have been very supportive,” Fukuhara told AIN at the show. “The relationship [with SkyWest] is still very good and we are confident they will continue to support the program.” Fukuhara said Mitsubishi and SkyWest have agreed on a new delivery schedule and that SkyWest will take its first MRJ90 in 2018. Announced last autumn, the program’s latest delay resulted from the company’s failure to properly forecast the effects of new U.S. Federal Aviation Administration procedures introduced in 2009 to validate regulatory compliance of production processes. It shifted the testing schedule by as much as two years meaning, if all goes as now planned, the time between program launch and certification would span ten years. o
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by Charles Alcock Rising military tension in north Asia sparked by China’s escalating defense spending and erratic posturing by North Korea is driving growth in Honeywell’s defense business. The need to maintain operational availability for the large installed base of U.S.-made aircraft operated by Japan, South Korea and Taiwan is spurring strong demand for spares and product support, according to Mark Burgess, senior director with Honeywell Aerospace Asia Pacific (Booth 23, Chalet CS42). “The average level of growth in
defense expenditure for equipment procurement and sustainment has increased by around five to six percent in most [Asian] markets and north Asia is at the high end of this trend,” Burgess told AIN. At the southern end of the Pacific rim, new opportunities are opening up for Honeywell to help the Australian and New Zealand militaries to be more self-sufficient in supporting their own U.S.-made equipment. “This business was previously conducted under U.S. foreign military sales rules, but now we are seeing this brought onshore and
this allows local [support] businesses to set up depot capability through direct commercial sales,” explained Burgess. “It allows us to better serve our customers and deliver better value for them.” Providing support for Honeywell’s T55 engines that power Boeing’s CH-47 Chinook helicopters is a prime example of this trend, with service centers established for this product in both South Korea and Singapore. The next opportunity for Honeywell is likely to be spurred by Australia’s adoption of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter, for which Honeywell provides equipment such as thermal and power management systems, APUs, and the environmental control system, as well as wheels and brakes. The company has been working closely with the Australian government to help
DAVID McINTOSH
Honeywell fills a need for defense readiness
Building political tension has stimulated a need for increased support of military equipment in the region, such as T55 engines for Boeing’s CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
it shape a product support plan for the aircraft and Burgess predicted that decisions on implementing this plan could be announced later this year. Honeywell is also chasing deals for CH-47 upgrades, with South Korea, for example, being
interested in switching from the D to F model. Burgess also sees strong prospects for more avionics upgrades for F-16 fighters, with prospective clients including South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan and Australia. o
Embraer seeks its share of bizjet sales
Cirrus touts benefits of personal flying Cirrus Aircraft (Booth A05) is here exhibiting an SR22T light piston single (pictured above), hoping to lure local high net-worth individuals with a new-generation light aircraft and accompanying services. Cirrus Malaysia Singapore, the dealer Cirrus Aircraft has appointed for these countries, is just starting to sell SR20s and SR22s. Under the Wings Over Asia organization, a service center is being estavlished at Seletar Airport. “Luxury cars are so expensive here that buying a light aircraft is only a small step up; moreover, the cockpit and cabin environment of our aircraft is close to that of these cars,” Gregory Ang, Cirrus Malaysia Singapore’s managing director, told AIN here at the show. He hopes to sell SR20/22s in a single-digit number this year and then double-digit next year. But the sales process, unlike in countries where general aviation culture and infrastructure is well developed, has to extend to training, support and more. Cirrus is thus offering flying lessons. Moreover, the student pilot does not have to wait until license-issue to use his aircraft– Cirrus also can provide him with a pilot. The lack of consideration from local authorities has impeded general aviation infrastructure, in Ang’s view. Nevertheless, there are an estimated 40-50 light aircraft based in Singapore. Hence the need to speak as one voice, one community. Cirrus, along with Daher-Socata and Piper, has thus joined forces with Wings Over Asia. Wings Over Asia is a general aviation FBO at Seletar airport here in Singapore. It will expand into maintenance activities, as an adjoining service center–with dedicated space for Cirrus–is planned to open in six months, Ang said. Wings Over Asia also has locations in Malaysia and Thailand. It promotes an “aviation social network,” Ang said, notably through seminars, a networking platform and organized flying adventures. “We sell the lifestyle,” Ang smiled. About 30 Cirrus aircraft–sold directly by the airframer–already are flying in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. –T.D.
Embraer is endeavoring to boost executive jet sales and support its existing fleet in Asia, and says that the market is developing well despite widespread red tape that impedes business aviation in the region. On the static display here at the Singapore Airshow, the very large-cabin Lineage 1000E–Embraer’s largest business jet–is making its Asian debut. The Asia Pacific will account for 1,530 business jets sales, worth $50 billion, over the 2014-2023 period, Jose Eduardo Costas, Embraer’s market intelligence senior v-p, said here on Tuesday. The Brazilian manufacturer still believes China will take the lion’s share with 805 aircraft. Southeast Asia, which includes Singapore, ranks second in the market forecast, at 244 aircraft. Embraer would not put a number on its projected market share. However, based on the airframer’s current global market
10 Singapore Airshow News • February 13, 2014 • www.ainonline.com
share and a purchase intention survey, the number of units sold could be in the 300s over the period in Asia, AIN believes. Today’s Embraer fleet in Asia stands at 68 jets, including 16 in China. In Indonesia, which several manufacturers regard as the emerging country in business aviation, Embraer claims a 40 percent market share. In India, there are just 14 jets in service but Embraer is adding a second field representative and has signed a memorandum of understanding with Indamer to support the Legacy 500 midsize jet. The MoU extends the maintenance service provider’s mission in India, where it already is qualified for all in-service Embraer executive jets. The second authorized service center for Embraer business jets in the country is Air Works. Another ongoing effort, hoped to trigger sales, has been in manufacturing. In Harbin, China,
the first locally assembled Legacy 650 was delivered last month, after having first flown in August. The Harbin factory used to build ERJ145 regional jets, and its conversion was announced in 2012. China has been partly relaxing some operational rules that have hampered business aviation in the country. Asked about similar moves by other countries in the region, Costas said that the regulatory environment is not changing. “Business jets are still seen as an emerging luxury activity; there is not a good understanding of their value yet,” he said. He was also referring to taxes and import paperwork. Finally, Costas highlighted China Southern Western Australia Flying College’s operations, as the academy uses two Phenoms 100s. They fly an average 120 hours per month. The CSWAFC also has recently bought a Phenom 100 full flight simulator. o
Embraer’s Lineage 1000E large cabin business jet (center) is making its Asian debut at the show.
DAVID McINTOSH
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Pavilion Tells The local air Force sTory
MARK WAGNER
A new feature at this year’s show that is well worth a visit, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Pavilion can be found in the static park. Full of graphics, video screens and interactive displays, the 3,000-sq-meter pavilion tells the 45-year history of the RSAF and vividly portrays its current structure, activities and capabilities. “The pavilion took many months to conceive,” said SLTC Randy Ong, the RSAF officer who was in charge of the project. He told AIN that the aim was “to help the public understand what we do.” But aerospace professionals attending the show should also find plenty to interest them. In front of the pavilion, examples of most of the RSAF’s current aircraft and ground-based air defense systems can be found. RSAF pilots and groundcrew stand ready and willing to show visitors the cockpits and cabins of their fighters, helicopters and transports. A few thousand Singaporeans have already toured the displays–the RSAF held a Families Day at the site last Saturday. No doubt it will be even more popular next weekend, during the airshow’s public days. –C.P.
The DB-110 pod on the F-16 centerline station. Illustrating the long-range standoff capability of the DB-110, this image of Long Beach, California (left) was taken by an F-16 flying at 40,000 feet and 130 kilometers away.
UTC’s DB-110 pod can do it all by Chris Pocock A team from UTC Aerospace Systems (Chalet CD07) is here promoting the DB-110 dual-band airborne reconnaissance sensor, and talking of a multispectral upgrade to come. The podded sensor flies on the F-16s of nine air forces, on the new Saudi air force F-15s, and
on Japan’s P-3s. It first entered service on the Tornado strike aircraft of the UK Royal Air Force, where it is named the Raptor system. The DB-110 derives from a much larger system flown on the U.S. Air Force’s U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, which has already
been upgraded to a seven-band configuration. Its unique design offers three different fields of view, allowing for long-range standoff missions as well as medium-range operations and direct overflight at low level. A generic recce interface allows today’s digital combat aircraft to
12 Singapore Airshow News • February 13, 2014 • www.ainonline.com
recognize the DB-110 pod as a weapons store, thereby eliminating the need for a cockpit control panel–a boon for pilots of single-seat fighters flying busy, lowlevel missions. But no airborne reconnaissance mission can be successful without good exploitation to turn imagery into actionable intelligence. UTC’s ISR Systems division, based in the UK, has been developing such systems for years, ever since the RAF first chose the Raptor. The latest version is named Merlin 2, and also includes an intelligence reference library. Planning, collection, processing, analysis and dissemination are all handled by Merlin 2, which is therefore a true “end-toend” system. It can handle multiple types of imagery, for instance allowing analysts to correlate
full-motion video (FMV) with electro-optical, infrared or radarframing imagery. (In a recent trial in the U.S., the DB-110 was flown on a Reaper UAV–the best-known and most-used platform for FMV). The DB-110 should be of interest to Asian air forces, including the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) here. AIN believes that the RSAF currently flies a pod on its F-16s that was provided by the Elop subsidiary of Elbit Systems. Of note, UTC is prepared to sell the Merlin 2 imagery exploitation system as a stand-alone product, independent of the DB-110. o
High-level protection in a pod by David Donald
DAVID McINTOSH
Saab (Booth C11) has many years of ESTL incorporates Saab’s MAW (misexperience devising protection systems sile approach warning) system, which for combat aircraft, and here at Singapore employs ultraviolet imaging technol2014 it is showing its latest offering, the ogy to rapidly acquire and track up to ESTL. Formerly known as BOH, it is a eight threats simultaneously. ESTL can modular system that draws on several of also include a Saab LWS (laser warnthe company’s successful missile warning ing system). In terms of countermeasures, ESTL and countermeasures systems to create a cost-efficient means of protecting com- mounts the BOP and BOL dispensers. bat aircraft against current and predicted BOP is a pyrophoric decoy launcher that infrared and radar-guided missile threats. fires them forwards, enhancing levels of ESTL brings together a number of protection against new-generation miscomponents from Saab’s countermeasures siles. Capacity is provided for 30 1x1x8portfolio, such as the IDAS (integrated inch or 15 2x1x8-inch decoys. The BOL defensive aids system), and packages them dispenses chaff bundles or infrared flares into a pod that can be attached to any electromechanically, and can carry up launcher rail that can mount the AIM-9 to 160 payloads in varying proportions. Sidewinder or AIM-120 AMRAAM air- An electronic warfare controller is also to-air missiles. The pod itself follows the incorporated. While a number of conrough form-factor of an AMRAAM- figurations is possible, a typical ESTL sized missile so that there are no aircraft arrangement would have a MAW and installation issues. It can replace a missile BOP in the forward section, with either a on a mission-by-mission basis, and can second, aft-facing MAW/BOP or a BOL o interface with the aircraft’s own defensive dispenser in the rear of the pod. and display systems. A wireless communications option is also available. Saab’s new pod is modular, allowing various options from a menu of components to be incorporated into a single pod to meet mission requirements. Advanced countermeasures functions such as covert sustainable pre-emptive dispensing, missile warning, forward firing of flares and cocktail dispensing are possible. For detection and track- Saab’s cost-efficient ESTL pod can be fitted on any launcher rail. ing of incoming threats the Various modules can be incorporated to meet specific missions.
“CheCk Six”
MARK WAGNER
Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft is protected by a Northrop Grumman electronic warfare self protection suite. It includes Terma AN/ALQ-213(V) electronic warfare management system; Northrop Grumman directional infrared countermeasures and radar warning systems; and BAE Systems’ countermeasures dispenser system.
14 Singapore Airshow News • February 13, 2014 • www.ainonline.com
Aeria Luxury Interiors is an approved Boeing Business Jets completion center and has performed maintenance or partial refurbs on three of the type thus far.
On its stand here at the Singapore Airshow, ST Aerospace’s Aeria subsidiary is showing this cabin model of a Boeing 787 in VIP configuration. The company recently opened a facility in San Antonio, Texas.
ST Aerospace’s Aeria opens its completion center in Texas by Thierry Dubois Aeria Luxury Interiors, the VIP business that ST Aerospace (Stand L01) launched at the Singapore Airshow two years ago, is up and running in San Antonio, Texas. The company builds on ST Aerospace’s presence in San Antonio since 2002 in the form of maintenance, repair and overhaul service provider STA San Antonio, with one of its hangars being converted into a VIP completions center. ST Aerospace also took over completion design specialist DRB Aviation (based in the same city), which serves as an engineering and certification bureau. Aeria is a division of STA San Antonio, while DRB is another ST Aerospace affiliate. “The two entities are separate but work together,” Ron Soret, STA San Antonio’s general manager of completions and head of Aeria, told AIN. Since its was launched in February 2012, Aeria has become an approved Boeing Business Jets completion center. It has worked on three BBJs for maintenance or partial refurbishment. It also performed heavy maintenance, a complete refurbishment and extensive IFE upgrade on a Boeing 767. Announced here during the Singapore show is a contract for a green 737 BBJ completion, which will be Aeria’s first job on a green aircraft. Work is planned to start in December. “We are also in negotiations for
the VIP completion of a widebody Boeing,” Soret added. The Aeria facility is now being expanded by 14,000 sq ft. “A cabinet and upholstery shop will be installed in the [new space],” Soret said, adding that cabinet and upholstery work, outsourced thus far, will be brought in-house in 2014 or 2015. In addition, a new standalone building will house the design, sales and marketing teams. The completion center’s total surface will measure 121,000 sq ft. Aeria now employs 35 people for VIP completion, a number that is to increase in 2014, thanks to the new contracts. Also to be added this year is a 3-D printer that will be used for sales and marketing, as well as prototyping and limited production of nonstructural parts. In the first three applications, “if a customer wants to see a seat, a side ledge and so forth, he will be able to hold a scale model in his hands,” Soret emphasized. For production, he said the “3-D-printed” objects would need to pass burn tests. o
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CMC is into ‘future-proofing’ Esterline CMC (Booth T87) is celebrating a couple of milestone contract awards here at the Singapore Airshow this week, as well as showcasing its main avionics products–including its popular Cockpit 9000 CNS/ATM update solution for legacy Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. This is aimed at extending the service life of 20-40 year-old aircraft by up to 30 years, future-proofing them against advances in ATC technology. The Canadian company has been awarded a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) by the U.S. FAA for its IntegriFlight GPS landing system for ADS-B operations on the Boeing 737, and has also been selected to supply its PilotView Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) for the new Bombardier CSeries regional/ narrowbody twin-jet. PilotView products represent another major feature on the company’s stand here this week. For the CSeries, Esterline CMC will also supply its PilotView Aircraft Information Server, which like the EFB will be available as an option to CSeries customers–along with a dual laptop docking station option. This can be interfaced to the EFB. The CMA-1612 EFB features a
12.1-inch LED backlit display with multi-touch support, and uses an Intel Core i7 processor. Speaking to AIN before the show, director EFB products Jean-Marie Bégis said “This will be the first application for AIS, which can support a range of applications in both retrofit and forward-fit, and wireless-enable to cockpit.” He said that there were customers already but that they could not yet be disclosed. The new 737 STC was based on the requirements of Qantas for the Australian airline’s 737 postal freighters, under a contract awarded in 2012. The equipment fit includes the Esterline CMC Electronics CMA-5024 IntegriFlight SBAS (satellitebased augmentation system)-capable GPS sensor, with Qantas performing the installation work and leading the certification application to Australian regulator, CASA. ASM (Aircraft Systems & Manufacturing) provided the installation kit, certification support and on-site support. The CMA5024 was already certificated by the FAA and Transport Canada to TSO-C145c Beta-3 and TSO-146c Delta-4 standards, the most stringent for GPS receivers, the latter allowing use for Precision Approach guidance signals to the aircraft’s autopilot
MARK WAGNER
by Ian Sheppard
Brent Nelson is the director of Esterline’s Cockpit 9000 program. The updated avionics suite has been successfully transplanted in Lockheed’s C-130, extending service life by as much as three decades.
for LPV (Localizer Precision with Vertical guidance) approaches. “Any aircraft equipped with CMA-5024 is inherently ready to support future ADS-B operational regulations in both remote and high-density traffic areas,” said the company. Don Paolucci, general manager FMS & GPS products, said that the company also offered FMS upgrades for Airbus A300/A310s, with certification being achieved in December. “It’s almost like a heart transplant,” he said, adding that it has grown out of the company work helping to develop and install an FMS in the Sukhoi Superjet aircraft. “We have adapted the basic core to the retrofit market. We program the equipment with the database that knows the performance
capabilities of the aircraft, so you can fly optimal descent profiles and save fuel, do idle descents, and RNP approaches.” The company sees a significant market opportunity retrofitting A300s, of which there are several hundred still flying. The first fit has been to the Canadian Department of National Defence’s five CC-150 Polaris aircraft, which are modified A310s. The fit includes the CMA9000 FMS and CMA-4024 GPS sensors, allowing FANS-1 functionality to be added as well under the contract. CMC was originally known as the Canadian Marconi Company and, following ownership by GE and later by BAE Systems, it was sold to Esterline (based in Bellevue, WA) in 2007. o
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Missiles, radar must work in tandem One of the messages that Raytheon has brought to Singapore is that the evolving technological capabilities of both air-to-air missiles and fighter radars must proceed hand-inhand if an operator is to take full advantage of new performance gains. As radar-guided weapons increase in effective range capability, so better radars are required with sufficient performance to match that of the weapon. Looked at it from the other side, as the fighter world turns increasingly to active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, so longer-range weapons are needed to harness the new capabilities of the sensors. With its long pedigree in both missile and radar technology, Raytheon (Booth V01) is a leader in developing new systems that push both weapon and sensor capability forward. Aimed primarily, but not exclusively, at the F-16 upgrade market, the company is promoting its RACR AESA radar. This sensor has been selected by Korea as part of a BAE Systems-led upgrade contract, for which Raytheon is also providing the mission computers and a Harm anti-radar missile upgrade. The latter adds GPS and improved inertial navigation under the Harm control section modification (HCSM) program.
shorter-range AIM-9X Block II missile to supplant the Block I weapon. The key improvement of the Block II is the introduction of a two-way datalink that allows lock-on after
launch capability. According to Raytheon, this will “redefine the battlespace.” AESA radar capability is an important element in unlocking the potential of these new weapons. o
MARK WAGNER
by David Donald
Raytheon says matching radars’ capabilities to those of missiles is crucial. Pictured: AMRAAM AIM-120 and AIM-9X on Singaporean F-15.
AIM-120 Improvements
To partner RACR and other current radars, Raytheon continues to improve the AIM-120 AMRAAM active-radar airto-air missile, which is in Singaporean service. The current AIM-120C7 version offers significantly improved range and no-escape zone performance compared to earlier models. Last April Singapore requested the C7 version for its air force to augment earlier models. At the same time, Singapore also requested Raytheon’s South Korea orderS $31M in agM-65g-2 MiSSileS The Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration this week placed a $31 million order with Raytheon for additional AGM-65G-2 Maverick missiles. Under the direct commercial sales, Raytheon will supply the missiles to the Republic of n Korea Air Force.
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www.ainonline.com • February 13, 2014 • Singapore Airshow News 17
news clips z SR Technics Ready for Spares in Kuala Lumpur
z Bell Showcases Single, Light-Twin Helicopters Bell Helicopter (Chalet CD11) is exhibiting two of its products at the Singapore 2014 airshow, the Bell 407GX single and the Bell 429 light twin. The show also marks the debut here of the cockpit demonstrator for the Bell AH-1Z Zulu attack helicopter. Meanwhile, the U.S. Marine Corps is displaying the Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey in both the static and flying displays. The Bell 429 is a new-generation rotorcraft designed for a variety of missions, notably EMS. It is the first helicopter certified through the Maintenance Steering Group-3 (MSG3) process, allowing a lighter maintenance regime. The Bell 429 WLG, with a wheeled landing gear, was recently certified by Transport Canada and Brazil’s ANAC. The airframer touts the new capability as ideal for repositioning in limited spaces and situations that require ground taxi, such as positioning closer to an FBO. The 407GX is the latest variant of the 407 and features the Garmin G1000H avionics suite. Here in Singapore, Bell operates a joint service center with Cessna in Seletar.
z Vector to Open Singapore Engine MRO Center Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) Vector Aerospace expects to open its new engine center at Singapore’s Seletar Aerospace Park by the end of this year. The facility is being specifically built to support Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A turboprops and represents an investment of almost $40 million. Last year, Pratt & Whitney Canada appointed Vector (Booth T102) as a designated overhaul facility. It will support operators of aircraft such as the Bombardier Q400 regional airliner in the Asia Pacific region. When fully operational, the new facility will employ up to 140 people in a variety of repair, test, engineering, commercial and support roles. The 86,100-sq-ft site has space for Vector to add support services for other products in the future. The Canada-based company provides a variety of MRO services, also covering engines made by General Electric, Rolls-Royce, Honeywell and Turbomeca, as well as various rotorcraft airframes and avionics.
z Bell Recognizes PLUS Heli Rescue Missions On Monday Bell recognized PLUS Helicopter Services of Selangor, Malaysia, “For its dedication to saving lives;” in May 2013, PLUS Heli deployed a Bell 429 to rescue severely burned crew members injured when a container ship’s boiler exploded, and two months later another mission where a tanker crewmember suffered a stroke. According to Bell, “PLUS Heli leveraged the versatility, speed and range of the Bell 429 to safely and reliably perform these two challenging missions”–they were 140 and 160 nautical miles off shore, respectively.
russian star power Russia’s sole representative in the flying display here at the Singapore Airshow is the Yak-130 jet trainer. The aircraft could be in the running for training requirements in the region, such as for Vietnam and Myanmar. Their existing connections to the Russian military aircraft industry could mean the tandem-seat trainer gets a leg-up.
Asia could lead the pack in Global Hawk sales by David Donald Having already supplied pricing, availability and technical data, Northrop Grumman is hopeful that in the coming weeks the Republic of Korea will sign a letter of acceptance concerning the acquisition of four RQ-4B Global Hawk HALE UAVs, paving the way for a formal request for
Northrop Grumman has also supplied pricing and availability data to Japan, which has gone public with its desire to acquire three Global Hawks. Although no formal application has yet been made over this sale, there is a strong possibility that it will proceed. Japan would likely
DAVID McINTOSH
SR Technics (Booth D11) says it is ready to start operations at its new component maintenance facility in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (SR Technics Malaysia Sdn Bhd), which is part of a strategy designed to increase proximity to customers. The first components to undergo repair are hydraulic pumps, ballscrew actuators, power drive units and audio control panels, the company said. The repair facility, which has just over 100 employees, will initially support 300 part numbers, rising to 1,200 by yearend. Its five main product areas will be avionics, hydraulics, mechanical, pneumatics and electrics. At the beginning, it will operate under EASA approval before receiving approvals from the Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation this month and then the FAA in April.
deployment of the aircraft to Adelaide in 2001. Subsequently a Global Hawk acquisition took a back seat to other defense priorities, but returned to the main agenda last year. The country is now looking seriously at the MQ4C Triton broad-area maritime surveillance version, to be operated alongside the manned Boeing P-8 as a possible replacement for the Royal Australian Air Force’s ageing P-3 Orion fleet. A Foreign Military Sales planning case has already been signed. Away from the export market the U.S. Air Force Global Hawk community is waiting on a decision on the future of its own RQ-4B Block 30s, which have been under threat of cancellation for some time due to budgetary restraints. An answer
Above: The main U.S. Air Force version is the RQ-4B Block 30. This example is seen operating from Andersen AFB, Guam. Right: The MQ-4C Triton took to the skies for the first time on May 22, 2013. The total requirement for the UAV currently stands at 68.
proposal and contract signature. The potential sale was notified to U.S. Congress in December 2012, and is being conducted via government-to-government channels, with the U.S. Air Force as the contracting agency. South Korea has requested the Block 30 version of the Global Hawk, equipped with the EISS (enhanced integrated sensor suite) that comprises EO/IR sensor and SLAR/GMTI radar.
18 Singapore Airshow News • February 13, 2014 • www.ainonline.com
receive Block 30 aircraft with the EISS, but also has expressed a requirement for signals intelligence capability. Japan’s own advanced electronics industry could provide the equipment to meet those needs. Australia has also emerged as another nation that could produce sales for the Northrop Grumman UAV. The country took an early interest in the program, hosting a historic
may be forthcoming in March. Meanwhile, the future with the U.S. Navy is rosier. The service continues to operate two RQ-4A BAMS-Demonstration aircraft way past their initial sixmonth deployment, and the first of three currently-contracted MQ-4C Triton BAMS aircraft has recently completed its 10th test flight. It is due to move to Patuxent River for Navy trials later this year. o
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The Black Eagles soar on the wings of their supersonic T-50B jet trainers, developed in their home country by Korean Aerospace Industries. Some of the Eagles’ breathtaking show maneuvers include the Double Helix; Victory Break; Bon Ton Roulle; Dizzying Break; Snake Roll; and the Rainfall.
Korea’s BlacK eagles fly a dynamic routine Singapore’s Black Knights and Korea’s Black Eagles have vied for flying display bragging rights this week. But although show-goers will inevitably compare the two, Black Eagles team manager Lt. Col. Park San Hyoun says that for a true comparison to be made, “We would both have to be flying the same aircraft.” Instead of competing, he says, “we’re here to enjoy and give pleasure to the crowd.” The Koreans are flying the T-50B supersonic jet trainer made by Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI). However, Lockheed Martin (LM) helped in the design, which bears quite some resemblance to the F-16. The T-50 lost out here to the Italian Aermacchi M346 when Singapore chose a new jet trainer, but KAI and LM are marketing it worldwide, including for the big U.S. Air Force T-X requirement.
Back to airshow aerobatics. Team leader Major Kim Yong Min is a former F-16 instructor pilot who joined the team in December 2012. His seven fellow pilots are all instructors, from the Republic of Korea Air Force’s F-4, F-5 F-15 or F-16 fleets. Kim said that the team trained for one month specifically for this show, “because the airspace is very tight, and the organizers asked us to cut three minutes from our normal, 23-minute show.” The Black Eagles routine is very dynamic, with multiple splits and rejoins. The pilots make good use of the T-50’s high thrust-to-weight ratio. Kim said that spectators should particularly watch out for the ‘rainfall’ maneuver, and the moment when the solo aircraft describe in the sky with smoke, an outline of the Republic of Korea’s yinand-yang flag. –C.P.
www.ainonline.com • February 13, 2014 • Singapore Airshow News 19
CFM hedging its bets with C919 powerplant
MARK WAGNER
by Thierry Dubois
‘sim-sational’ deal for Cae Li Biao, left, chairman of the Haite Group, signed a contract with Nick Leontidis, group president of civil simulation products for CAE. The deal includes three of CAE’s full flight simulators (two A320s and a 737NG) going to two Haite Group-owned training facilities. All three sims feature CAE’s Tropos 6000XR visual system.
CFM International is confident Comac’s C919 program is progressing on a sound basis, but the engine manufacturer does have contingency plans for the Leap-1C turbofan it has designed for the narrowbody to mitigate program risks in case further delays arise. Since the Leap-1C is the same engine as the -1A model that will power the Airbus A320 neo, except for the interfaces with the pylon and nacelle, CFM has not had to develop specific turbomachinery for the C919. Nonetheless, CFM executive v-p Chaker Chahrour said yesterday at the Singapore Airshow that the company would be closely monitoring
LHT expands market footprint in Asian MRO business arena by Neelam Mathews for India a few years ago, continues to look at the market cautiously. Last year, it announced plans to jointly develop a facility with SriLankan Airlines at Matalla Airport but this project is now on hold.
“We have done our calculations there and are now in a process to evaluate whether it makes sense to set up maintenance in Sri Lanka and whether it has a sufficient customer base,” Henningsen told AIN. With India’s high taxes, LHT had planned to tap the Indian market from a base in Sri Lanka. But now that the Indian rupee’s foreign exchange value has collapsed so much, the cost differential advantage is not so great. In Singapore, LHT is looking at doubling the size of its footprint. The
company’s new Airline Support Team will allow LHT Shenzhen to offer customers engine services, such as inspections, documentation, warehousing and logistics. Meanwhile, the A380 wing rib modification is on track at the Philippines, Beijing and Frankfurt centers, with 15 modifications finalized and 31 under contract. The turnaround time is under 49 days. Starting in 2016, LHT will offer component support for A350 customers and similar services for the Boeing 777X when it enters service in 2020/21. o
ramp mates This USAF Boeing C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift transport is flanked by a pair of maritime patrol aircraft. The Airbus Defence and Space C295 is in the foreground, and Boeing’s own P-8 Poseidon in U.S. Navy livery behind.
20 Singapore Airshow News • February 13, 2014 • www.ainonline.com
DAVID McINTOSH
As the maintenance, repair and overhaul business recovery continues in 2014, Lufthansa Technik (LHT, Booth K65) is further expanding its footprint in Asia. The company is “expecting higher operating results this year compared to last year,” said chairman Wilhelm Henningsen at a press conference in Singapore yesterday, adding that he expects an improvement in profits for 2014. Today Asia accounts for 15 percent of its business, but LHT expects this to rise to 20 percent in the next few years. Vietnamese carrier VietJet Air recently selected Lufthansa Technik Logistik Services as its transportation management partner. Separately, LHT is about to open a new bonded distribution center in Shenzhen, China. Meanwhile, LHT Philippines, having just completed its first C check on a Qantas A380, has two Air France A380 C checks in the hangar, while Jetstar and Virgin Australia are also lined up to have worked done in the facility. Ameco Beijing, a joint venture with Air China, has seen $245 million invested in new shops and hangars. “A two-year improvement program has reduced turnaround time by 10 percent,” said Henningsen. But as business grows, poaching of skilled employees remains a problem. While LHT continues to invest in education and training of technicians and mechanics, Henningsen said it is seeing skilled staff from the Philippines being lured away to competitors in the Middle East. LHT, which had announced big plans
the Chinese program to avoid building engines that end up languishing in inventory in the event of further delays. “The dates Comac has announced are pretty solid,” said Chahrour. He emphasized Comac is “coming up to speed very fast” and the two companies are learning from each other a lot. But he added that Comac, “needs more experience in program management” and that the Chinese group is having difficulties with some of its suppliers. He noted, however, that Comac “needs more experience in program management.” He also mentioned some difficulties the Chinese firm is having with its suppliers.
CFM has already built the first Leap-1C engine that will fly on a Boeing 747 flying testbed this spring and Comac recently delivered the first pylon for the program. Meanwhile, Nexcelle, a joint venture between CFM partners GE and Safran, has just delivered the first O-Duct nacelle for the turbofan. China is now CFM’s main market, followed by Indonesia, which has outpaced India and Japan. Chahrour said growth in India has slowed due to uncertainty as to how the long-awaited airline consolidation might unfold. Other countries to watch are Vietnam and the Philippines, according to Chahrour. o
SINGAPORE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT
China lessor Choses GtF to power a320neos
PT DI’s N219 is a modern answer to the need for rugged, STOL aircraft in outlying areas.
STOL transport readies for first flight in 2015 PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI, Indonesian Aerospace) is moving towards a first flight of its N219 twin-turboprop transport next year. The aircraft has been under development for some time to answer a need for a rugged STOL airliner able to operate in and out of remote, semi-prepared airstrips. At the same time, the N219 is intended to provide cost-efficient and reliable operations through the use of modern avionics and engines. PT DI has a long history of building CASA (Airbus Defence and Space) Aviocars under license as the NC212, and is now the sole production source for this aircraft. The Aviocar naturally provided a useful basis for development of a longer and refined aircraft that can accommodate 19 passengers in a standard 2+1 seating arrangement. Some experience from the abortive IPTN (as PT DI was then known) N250 50-seater regional airliner has also been brought in to the new design. Compared to the NC212 the N219 is longer and aerodynamically cleaner. The wing is mounted
slightly higher to keep cabin intrusion to a minimum, resulting in the largest cabin available in the class (6.50 x 1.82 x 1.70 meters). The sponson-mounted fixed undercarriage of the Aviocar is replaced by a neater sprung unit. Power is provided by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42 turboprops each offering 850 shp. They give a takeoff distance to clear a 35-ft obstacle of 1,427 ft, while landing distance after clearing a 50-ft obstacle is 1,587 ft. PT DI has selected a Garmin flight deck with a fivescreen display. PT DI already has an order for 50 N219s from Indonesian carrier Lion Air, plus 50 options. NBA (Nusantara Buana Air), an NC212 operator, signed for 30 aircraft (including options) in February 2012. As well as airlines, PT DI is targeting military and freight operators with the N219. The aircraft has a flexible door system allowing it to admit bulky items, and the cabin can be reconfigured for various special missions. It has been reported that the Royal Thai Navy has an interest in the N219. –D.D.
China-based lessor BOC Aviation yesterday announced a firm order for Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engines, to power 15 previously ordered Airbus A320neos. The contract also includes options for engines to power another 17 A320neos and deliveries will begin in 2017. Although BOC Aviation CEO Robert Martin said his company has been a supporter of Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan on the Airbus narrowbody since 2010, it also holds orders for 10 A320neos to be powered by the rival CFM Leap engine. BOC has a fleet of 230 aircraft and plans to continue to add approximately 50 aircraft to that number every year. P&W’s PurePower engine family has logged a combined 17,000 cycles and 7,600 hours in testing, including 850 of flight time. “We have now tested 31 geared turbofans since initiating testing in September 2010,” said Dave Brantner, president, P&W commercial engines. The results of the trials already promise that every engine version will enter into service meeting or exceeding its fuel burn specification. This is relatively unusual at this stage of a program, Brantner pointed out. –T.D.
This is one of two options that are being considered for Changi International Airport’s third runway and fifth terminal.
Expansion set to double Changi Airport capacity by Chris Pocock A massive expansion of Changi International Airport will take place right next to the airshow site here in Singapore. It includes a third runway and a fifth terminal, and will eventually double the hub’s capacity to 135 million passengers per year. The development forms part of a masterplan that was announced by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last year. The wasteland that you see on your right, as you approach the show site, is land that was reclaimed from the sea 25 years ago. Currently hidden in its middle is Changi Air Base East (CAB East), a parallel runway and small airbase used by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to house an F-16 squadron. By 2020, that runway will be extended at the 02R end in a southwesterly direction, to become the airport’s third runway. Between it and the current Changi Coast Road (which will be closed), the new Terminal 5 will be developed by 2025. Almost 40 km of new taxiways will connect the area with the current airport.
Two options for the new development are on display at the Changi airport stand. They include both an area set aside for MRO facilities and airfreight warehouses. Another part of the masterplan calls, surprisingly, for the closure of Paya Lebar airbase (PLAB). Until Changi was opened in 1981, this was Singapore’s international airport. Since then, it has housed the RSAF’s C-130 and two F-5 squadrons, with one of the latter replaced by F-15s in 2012. However, it is surrounded by housing–and Singapore desperately needs more of this to accommodate its ever-growing population, which is set to rise from 5.5 million to 6.9 million by 2030. A replacement airbase for PLAB and CAB East will be built at Changi, including a fourth parallel runway at the furthest easterly area of the reclaimed land, next to Changi naval base, which is already up-and-running. AIN understands that it will house both tanker/transport and fighter squadrons. o
a330Mrtt For sinGapore? not yet, it seeMs.
Airbus and Satair have opened their first joint parts support and distribution facility in a bid to consolidate their supply chains. The new Satair Airbus Singapore Center is located at Seletar Aerospace Park. The 180,000-sq-ft facility will serve customers in the Asia Pacific region. Satair is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Airbus and encompasses the Airbus Material and Logistics Management division. Separately, Diehl Aerosystems has signed a new three-year agreement to continue Satair’s status as the exclusive Asia Pacific customer support center for Diehl Aerospace, Diehl Aircabin and n Diehl Comfort Modules.
Media reports that Singapore “might have signed” for six Airbus A330MRTT tankers were described as premature yesterday, by informed local and international sources consulted by AIN. At a media briefing, Airbus Defence & Space commercial head Christian Scherer said he was “not in a position to comment on the decision in Singapore.” The company brought an A330MRTT to the Singapore Airshow two years ago, where it was inspected by the local and foreign air forces. The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has four ageing KC135R tankers. It also has four equally old KC-130B tankers, but these have recently been modernized by ST Aerospace. The tankers are regularly used to shepherd RSAF fighters on overseas deployments within the region, and to Australia, for exercises and training. As well as offering a large fuel capacity, the A330MRTT offers up to 300 seats for troops on the main deck, which could be attractive to the Singapore Armed Forces. For instance, the SAF sent 700 troops to an exercise in Arizona last December, and 1,000 more to Australia earlier in the year. The A330-300 version is flown by Singapore Airlines. Boeing has offered the KC-46 version of the Boeing 767 that is scheduled to replace KC-135s in U.S. Air Force service. “Our fuel burn and life-cycle cost savings are well-documented,” Chris Raymond, v-p marketing for Boeing Defense, told journalists here last Sunday. He also noted that the KC-46 could be sold for export. –C.P.
MARK WAGNER
parts partnership
CFM to power vietjetair Fleet Growth CFM International v-p sales Gael Meheust (left) seals a deal with VietJetAir CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong for CFM56-5B engines to power the 14 A320ceos and 7 A321ceos the carrier ordered on Tuesday.
www.ainonline.com • February 13, 2014 • Singapore Airshow News 21
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