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D A Y 1 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY / AIR TRANSPORT WORLD / SPEEDNEWS

February 16, 2016 Singapore Airshow U.S. Has Largest Presence 140 American exhibitors under- score importance of show. PAGE 4

ST Aero’s New Technologies UAVs, virtual reality cockpit training and airline seats. PAGE 6

More for Aerospace Here Singapore invests billions to support aerospace needs. PAGE 12

Rolls Rocks in Singapore Company is developing new The Republic of Korea’s Black Eagles jet aerobatic team are the star turn at this year’s Singapore Airshow, Trent airline engines here. PAGE 16 flying KAI T-50 training aircraft. They are seen here looping over the Changhi exhibition site.

GE Boosts Singapore MRO Will invest US$110 million for latest engine repair facilities. PAGE 18 P&W Opens Singapore Plant Pratt & Whitney officially opened its first man- The new plant is only the second in the Business Jet Hub Grows ufacturing facility in Singapore yesterday to world that makes hybrid metallic blades for Singapore develops a regional hub make fan blades and other key components the GTF engine. Page 14 for business aviation. PAGES 46-50 for the PurePower Geared Turbofan engines Separately, just one month into his new role that power the Airbus A320neo, Bombardier as president of Pratt & Whitney, Bob Leduc Opinion: U.S./Asia-Pacific C Series, Mitsubishi Regional Jet and Embraer told Aviation Week he is determined to “set E2 regional airliner. The 180,000-sq-ft facil- the record straight” with airlines over plans Marcus Jadotte, U.S. Assistant ity, at Seletar Aerospace Park, is part of Pratt to improve start times on the company’s Secretary of Commerce. PAGE 70 & Whitney’s US$110 million investment at PW1100G flagship geared turbofan on the that location. Airbus A320neo. AESA Radar for Eurofighter The first, fitted to a test aircraft, was unveiled yesterday. PAGE 52

MOBILE NEWS ACCESS: Get the Latest Singapore News and Insight Online Visit AviaitonWeek.com/Singapore and receive the latest news and insight right on your mobile device,

Cutting the ribbon were (l to r) Danny Di Perna, senior vice president, Operations for Pratt & Whitney; Bob Leduc, president, Pratt & Whitney; Mr. S Iswaran, Singapore Minister of Trade and Industry; Dave Hess, UTC Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for Aerospace. Ingenuity Radical improvements require radical innovation. That’s why, in our efforts to make the world’s leanest, most economical aircraft, we didn’t just in Flight. tweak – we reinvented. Every element of the C Series is custom-designed and purpose-built, resulting in a jet ﬂeet that offers a 15% cash operating cost advantage, a peerless environmental scorecard and transcontinental range. If you want the most efﬁcient aircraft in the skies, opt for the one C Series that’s been built from the ground up.

Bombardier, C Series, and the Evolution of Mobility, are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. ©2016 Bombardier Inc. All rights reserved. Editor-in-Chief John Morris [email protected] +1 860-316-8750 Senior Editors Scot Greenan, Mike Jerram Writers Paul Jackson, Aaron Karp, Guy Norris, Rich Piellisch, Bill Sweetman Copy Editor Polly Watson Senior Art Director & IT Manager Kirk Fetzer Art Director Ariel Fristoe Photographer Mike Vines Digital Photo Editor Fran Vines Digital Data Manager Theresa Petruso Managing Director Iain Blackhall [email protected]

U.S./CANADA ADVERTISING SALES Beth Wagner – [email protected] Tom Davis – [email protected] Rob Howlett – [email protected] Leah Vickers – [email protected] Tim Reed – [email protected] Richard Brown – [email protected] Hands around the world: Marking their cooperation on this year’s show are (l to r) Tan Kong Hwee, director of Greg Smith – [email protected] transport engineering at Singapore’s Economic Development Board; Benjamin Dubertret, France’s ambassador to David Seaberg – [email protected] Singapore; and Leck Chet Lam, managing director of organizer Experia Events. Miguel Ornelas –[email protected] Chris Salem – [email protected] INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES Andrea Rossi Prudente [email protected] Singapore Asserts World Presence Germany, Switzerland Robert Rottmeier – [email protected] rganizers of Singapore Airshow 2016 with EDB, the Singapore Economic France, Portugal, Spain, Benelux [email protected] Otrumpeted the increasing importance Development Board. With resultant United Kingdom, Ireland of their event and the city-state that hosts demand for aircraft, “OEMs need to diver- Michael Elmes – [email protected] it as a powerful player on the world aero- sify their supply chains and shift their sup- Ann Haigh – [email protected] space stage. ply chains much closer to the customers.” Operations Manager Erving Dockery Since assuming its current identity in That means opportunity for more and Marketing Communications Manager 2008, the biannual Singapore Airshow “has deeper activity here in Singapore, he said, Elizabeth Sisk cemented its position as Asia’s largest and noting that Singapore already accounts for Printing & Distribution Management MM Print Services Limited one of the world’s largest aerospace and some 10% of world MRO activity. www.mmprintservices.com defense shows,” said Leck Chet Lam, man- “We are punching above our weight,” ShowNews is published by Penton Media Inc., 9800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS 66212-2216. Also the publisher aging director of organizer Experia Events. Tan said. of Air Transport World, Aviation Daily, Aviation Week & Space “The top 65 global aerospace companies France’s ambassador to Singapore, Technology, Business & Commercial Aviation, SpeedNews, The Weekly of Business Aviation and World Aerospace Database. are here,” Leck said at a media brieﬁng Benjamin Dubertret, also spoke at the ShowNews at Singapore Airshow: Chalet CS40 on Sunday morning, and the show itself Sunday brieﬁng – France is the “featured tel: +1 860-316-8750, Singapore +65 6821 2034 has been organized to embody not just country” at this year’s show. an exhibition but as a venue for top-level “The French Pavilion will be the largest conferences examining the future of global we’ve ever had at the Singapore Airshow,”

Chief Executive Officer aviation. Dubertret said. He mentioned that the David Kieselstein “Our business forums are meant for cre- Airbus A350XWB, one of the featured air- Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development Warren N. Bimblick ating real business opportunities,” he said. craft at this year’s flight display, has already Chief Financial Officer/Executive Vice President “Asia-Pacific is where the action is.” As been ordered by 13 airlines. GIFAS, the Nicola Allais well as the industry’s top executives, stu- French aerospace industry association, is Senior Vice President & General Counsel Andrew Schmolka dents and young working people are being at Booth F22 (Story: Page 68). courted. “We want to inculcate interest Meanwhile, in view of the massive expan- President, Aviation Week Gregory Hamilton early,” Leck said. sion of the international airport at Changi, ©Copyright 2016 by Penton Media. All rights reserved. ‘Traffic growth is going to be phenomenal what about the next Singapore Airshow? Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. in this part of the world,” said Tan Kong According to Experia’s Leck, “We’ll still be Hwee, director of transport engineering here in 2018.” —Rich Piellisch

AviationWeek.com/ShowNews | February 16, 2016 3 U.S. Boasts Largest International Presence

It’s the biggest here by far, as 140 American exhibitors Harris Corp. (Booth CS22), which has a bevy of orders account for nearly 30% of the show’s total indoor worth more than US$1 exhibit space (upward of 130,000 sq. ft. for the U.S. billion for tactical radios, companies alone). electronic and expedition- ary warfare equipment and he size of the American contingent attract real business prospects engineering services, and “Tis a strong indicator of how impor- and customers. The steady radars; tant the region is to the U.S. aerospace growth and diversification Allied Wire & Cable (Booth and defense business, and how interested of the show speaks for itself,” R100d), “known to have the countries in the region are to work with said Kallman Worldwide pres- Tom Kallman largest mil-spec, shipboard U.S. companies to further their security ident and CEO Tom Kallman. and UL/CSA electrical wire and economic interests,” says organizer “As the organizer of the U.S and cable stocking facility Kallman Worldwide. International Pavilion at Singapore since in the world”; Kallman itself works closely with the U.S. 2008, our team is proud to help our exhibi- Churchill Navigation (Booth R80), which is Departments of Commerce and Defense, tors capitalize on this influential interna- showing ION, a new high-definition digital and the Washington, D.C.-based Aerospace tional business opportunity to grow their video recorder; Industries Association. As a result, the U.S. share of the marketplace, and strengthen Technology and Wesco Aircraft (Booth International Pavilion is this week’s des- our nation’s trade and investment partner- R96), with a new embodiment of MRO ser- tination, the company says, “for buyers ships in the region,” Kallman said. vice bulletins covering Airbus, Boeing and looking for an efficient way to meet a criti- He noted that this year’s edition of the Embraer aircraft; and cal mass of U.S. suppliers, and an on-site Singapore Airshow is the first major indus- Shur-Lok (Booth R96), a unit of Precision business hub for U.S. exhibitors looking try event in the region since the signing Castparts, promoting the Lockwireless to maximize their exposure and impact at this past October of the Trans-Pacific B-Nut as a “game-changing” fluid cou- the event.” Partnership (TPP), a trade, investment and pling, as well as a new blind tacking rivet “When U.S. companies commit to exhibit regulatory agreement among 12 Pacific said to reduce human touch time on at the Singapore Airshow, they’re saying Rim countries, including the U.S. assembly stack-up installations by better they believe in the power of this event to “TPP is certain to impact and influence than 50% (from PCP’s Cherry Aerospace discussions between U.S. industry leaders unit). and their Asian counterparts at the show,” Also in cooperation with Kallman and the ‘Ask America First’ he said. U.S. Pavilion, Enterprise Florida is leading In addition to organizing the national In addition to Boeing, Lockheed Martin, a delegation of 14 small businesses to the pavilion, Kallman Worldwide is promoting Northrop Grumman and Raytheon, stand- show this week, with products including U.S. exhibitors with its “Ask America First” out U.S. exhibitors include: tools, hardware, machinery, components, advocacy campaign. The message will be Arista Aviation (Booth R98b), which is refur- software, support systems, MRO services, placed prominently on-site, integrated bishing UH-60A helicopters bought from training and education. The Florida into hospitality and VIP events during the the U.S. government for armed forces, gov- Pavilion will be the largest of any U.S. state’s show, and promoted in social media ernment and firefighting customers; at this year’s event. (@kallmanEWCon Twitter).

“The United States is the world’s biggest aerospace and defense supplier, but that’s no guarantee that buyers will look to work with U.S. companies over others,” said Kallman Worldwide president and CEO Tom Kallman.

“As the organizer of the U.S. presence at Singapore, we have a responsibility to advocate not only for our exhibitors, but also for our nation in this highly competitive marketplace. We want every visitor to

‘Ask America First’ at Singapore, and to be The U.S. Pavilion was well attended at the last assured that America is listening.” major aerospace show, in Paris last June.

4 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews

ST AEROSPACE ST Aero Showcases New Technologies

ST Aerospace is using the headsets are a good complement to simu- Making Freighters Singapore Airshow to promote lator training. Lim says that when people ST Aero has teamed up with Airbus to put on the headset, they can see the cockpit do A320 and A330 passenger-to-freighter its technology, manufacturing of an aircraft and can touch the controls (P2F) conversions. EgyptAir is a launch and design engineering and operate it, as if it were real. Singapore customer for its A330-200 P2F program capability. Airshow 2016 is the first time ST Aero is and Lim says they are locked in intense unveiling this technology, says Lim, adding negotiations with “a significant operator” he Singapore-headquartered com- that the company worked with a tech firm to launch the A330-300 P2F, but they have Tpany is the world’s largest third-party on the software. yet to conclude a deal. maintenance, repair and overhaul organization. Airframe and engine ST Aerospace’s maintenance remains a core busi- main business is ness, but ST Aero in more recent heavy maintenance years has been building up its and aircraft reconfiguration. design engineering and manufacturing capabilities as well as investing in new technologies.

New VIP Capabilities ST Aero is displaying at the show (Booth G01) a mockup of a VIP aircraft interior reconfiguration. The company owns Aeria Luxury Interiors in the U.S. and will be using its U.S. business to help it offer similar VIP configuration services in Singapore for the Asia-Pacific market. On the eve of the airshow, ST Aero opened a VIP aircraft reconfiguration center at Seletar Airport. ST Aero president Lim Serh Ghee says the facility will focus on Boeing BBJ and Airbus ACJ aircraft. It has UAVs Lim says Airbus partnered with ST Aero no intention to do interior reconfiguration ST Aero also makes unmanned systems. for P2F because it valued ST Aero’s design work on smaller jets, such as Gulfstreams Lim says it will be unveiling a longer-range engineering capability. ST Aero has been and Dassault Falcons, he says. version of the SkyBlade III fixed-wing UAV, expanding into this area because it can The Aeria Luxury Interiors facility in San and an unmanned hybrid vehicle that can see that aircraft maintenance – which Antonio, Texas, also focuses on the larger both fly and go underwater (Page 52). remains its core business – is getting even jets and recently completed its first BBJ more competitive and coming under cost cabin reconfiguration. The aircraft was re- Airline Seats pressure. delivered to the customer in December. He ST Aero is using the Singapore Airshow ST Aero, he says, cannot compete by also says that facility has won a contract to introduce the new passenger seats it has being the cheapest. It is, therefore, working to reconfigure a Boeing 777, which will made for commercial airlines. The seats to differentiate itself in the marketplace. be re-delivered to the customer in 2017. were developed under its new joint venture And this partly explains why the company in Singapore with Japanese seat manufac- is moving into higher-value work, where it Virtual Reality turer Tenryo Holdings (Page 52). can use its design engineering expertise. ST Aero is showcasing its “virtual real- Lim says providing seats to commercial ity” headsets and software at the show. airlines is a valuable adjunct to ST Aero’s Profits Flat The group owns an ab initio flying school, commercial aircraft cabin reconfiguration Lim says 2015 was a challenging year, based in Australia, and has a simulator work.For example, it recently secured a but ST Aerospace will report revenue and training center in Singapore that type- contract to reconfigure 31 Boeing 767 profit before tax were comparable to 2014. rates commercial pilots. ST Aero, like other aircraft and 14 Airbus A330 aircraft. The In that year, ST Aero reported a 1% decline training centers, uses full-flight training order is for two airlines; one is Air Canada, in revenue to SG$2.07 billion (US$1.44 simulators. but Lim declines to disclose the other billion) and an 11% fall in pre-tax profit to But ST Aero sees that virtual reality customer. SG$283 million (US$197 million).

6 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews Visit us at Stand A39

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F-22 and Other Top Guns at the Show

Malaysia operates the Sukhoi Su-30MKM.

Military aircraft at this year’s Singapore Airshow and Qatar, while a sale to India In terms of commercial air- has not yet been finalized. craft at the show, Bombardier are likely to draw big crowds, with some very Another aircraft that has has announced that it will popular examples available on static display. been achieving some sales suc- have the CSeries CS100 on cess is the Korean Aerospace static display. This aircraft ingapore Airshow manag- most highly advanced fighter in Industries (KAI) T-50. type recently gained Transport Sing director Leck Chet Lam its fleet. At the 2014 Singapore Indonesia and the Philippines Canada certification and is due says one of the top stars will be Airshow, the Malaysians have both ordered the type. to be delivered to launch oper- the U.S. Air Force Lockheed brought the MiG-29, but they The Republic of Korea Air ator Swiss International Air Martin F-22. This fifth Force’s T50 flying acro- Lines in this year’s first half. generation fighter is so Dassault is offering the batic team, the Black Also on display is the Airbus technologically advanced Rafale to Malaysia. Eagles, will be perform- A350. Singapore Airlines has that the U.S. government ing at the show and the ordered the aircraft and sev- refuses to allow it to be Republic of Singapore eral other carriers in the region sold to any other nation. Air Force will be doing are considering it. Philippine The USAF is also bring- a coordinated flying dis- Airlines, for example, plans to ing the Lockheed Martin play involving the Boeing announce at the show whether F-16 and the Boeing F-15SG and the Boeing it has ordered the A350-900 or C-17, its large heavy-lift AH-64 Apache attack the Boeing 787-9 to replace its transport aircraft. helicopter. Airbus A340s. There is a requirement in the Asia-Pacific region The USAF’s F-22 for more military trans- is making its first port aircraft, which may appearance here. explain the presence of Airbus are planning to phase out Military’s A400M at the show. that aircraft type. One The Royal Malaysian Air of the aircraft Malaysia Force operates the A400M, is considering buying but Airbus Military also is is the Dassault Rafale, hoping to sell it to other coun- which is why the French tries in the region including manufacturer brought it Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei to the show. The Rafale and Thailand. has been riding a wave of The Malaysian Air Force will success lately after secur- bring the Sukhoi Su-30, the ing orders from Egypt

8 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews SINGAPORE

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NORWEGIAN PRECISION NORSK TITANIUM Singapore Airshow Broadens Its Horizons

Singapore Airshow organizers have decided to put an industry does. Rolls-Royce will be emphasis on new technologies at this year’s event. bringing a Trent 1000 engine and Pratt & Whitney will be bringing a he “Emerging Technologies” zone Singapore government GTF engine, says Leck. Tshowcases areas of growing impor- has been very aggressive He also says people who enter this tance to the global aerospace industries. in pushing Seletar Airport area can learn about the tertiary Singapore Airshow managing director Leck as a center in the region for courses they can take in Singapore Chet Lam says some of the technologies business aviation.” if they want to work in the aerospace on display include additive manufacturing He says the number of industry. “Tertiary institutions will and 3-D printing. This technology allows business aviation aircraft exhibit and explain what courses are for smaller production runs and parts can in the Asia-Pacific region available,” says Leck, adding that Managing Director Experia be manufactured with a fewer number of has doubled in the last 10 there will be about 20 companies Events, Leck Chet Lam parts, says Leck, who formerly worked for years and is forecast to and institutions in attendance. SIA Engineering. Technology companies achieve 6% annual fleet growth over the “The idea behind this initiative is to also are showcasing the use of “big data” next 20 years. inculcate interest in the young, so we can and data analytics in aviation. The organizers had been planning to get more people to enter the aerospace The “Training and Simulation” zone is group business aviation-related exhibitors industry and help sustain its growth here another area that Singapore Airshow orga- into one zone, but Leck says they decided in Singapore,” says Leck. nizers see growing significantly. This is due against it as it proved too impractical. Also, The Singapore Airshow has 20 country to the fact that there is so much demand many of the companies that operate in the pavilions this year – more than at previ- in the Asia-Pacific region for pilot training business aviation segment are also involved ous shows. Some of the countries exhibit- as well as training of air traffic controllers, in other segments of the aviation industry ing this year for the first time include the maintenance engineers and technicians. or want to be next to their sister companies Philippines and Indonesia. “The industry needs to train more people that operate in other segments. France, the feature country at this year’s to support the projected growth,” says Leck. Leck says all the major players in the show, has a strong presence here. There will He says aircraft-makers such as Boeing business aviation sector are scheduled be a business conference focusing on the have forecast that over the next 20 years, to be represented at the show, including business relationship between Singapore Asia will account for about 40% of com- Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault Falcon Jet and France, particularly in the aerospace mercial aircraft deliveries. and Gulfstream. industry. Leck says the head of the French Airshow organizers are also putting more Another new addition to the show is the Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS) emphasis at this year’s show on business “Education Day” initiative. Organizers have will be one of the speakers at the conference. aviation. This ties in with Singapore’s push set aside an area at the show on Feb. 18 The 2014 Singapore Airshow had 45,152 to become a business aviation center in the and 19 for high school students, tertiary trade delegates, representing a 1% increase Asia-Pacific region. students and national servicemen. Exhibits over the 2012 show. Leck says he antici- “We decided we need to focus on busi- and booths in this area will inform them pates the show will achieve “the same or ness aviation in the show,” says Leck. “The about the work that Singapore’s aerospace more” this year.

Business aviation is a growing component of the Singapore Airshow.

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Vist us at Singapore Airshow, Booth G55 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

companies are looking at how they can Singapore Investing SG$19 Billion increase the volume of work using the same facility and number of people. in Science and Technology Aerospace companies are investing in robotics and automation to drive produc- Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), the tivity. If these ﬁrms can reduce the amount government agency tasked with attracting foreign companies to of “touch time,” then it also will help to reduce labor costs. Singapore, says there is a big push underway toward innovation. But if the industry is to grow in “Innovation is a big theme,” says EDB director of transport Singapore, there still will be a need for engineering division Tan Kong Hwee, adding that it is important some additional people coming into the for aerospace companies – such as MRO companies – industry. Tan says Singapore’s tertiary institutions to innovate, so they can create value. are launching more aerospace courses. As an example, he cites Singapore’s Temasek o help with the push, the keen to do more design Polytechnic, which opened the Temasek Tgovernment announced engineering work and be Aviation Academy on Jan. 8. And on Jan on Jan. 7 that it has budgeted more involved in devel- 4., Singapore Polytechnic opened a new SG$19 billion (US$13.2 bil- oping manufacturing building called AeroHub to house its aero- lion) to be spent on science processes. nautical and aerospace electronics labs. and technology research One key aspect of man- Tan says the tertiary sector is currently over five years starting in ufacturing that aerospace producing 1,600-1,700 graduates per April 2016. This money is companies in Singapore year for the aerospace industry, which to be shared by all sectors of are focusing on involves EDB feels is sufﬁcient. But it is debatable the economy, but Tan says ways to drive productiv- whether this number is enough annually. a huge part of it will go into ity. This is important in Some aerospace companies point out advanced manufacturing, Singapore, because the that while that number of aerospace stu- which includes aerospace country has limited land dents may graduate each year, not all manufacturing. and resources, includ- decide to enter the aerospace industry. Tan says EDB is working to ing human resources. They say this means some aerospace Tan Kong Hwee attract companies that want Rather than boost companies still need to supplement their to do advanced and complex manufactur- production by building larger facilities workforce with foreigners, particularly in ing. He also says Singapore companies are and employing more people, aerospace lower level positions such as technicians.

Seletar Aerospace Park Marks First Decade IT’S BEEN JUST 10 years since the Singapore government revealed its plan to convert the historic Seletar military air base into a cutting-edge aerospace manufacturing and MRO center of excellence as well as specialist one-stop business aviation airport. “When you look around Seletar Aerospace Park now and see the continuing changes that are taking place it is truly the aerospace service cluster and business aviation services hub of Asia – I can’t think The master plan for of anything that comes close to it,” says development of the John Riggir, VP and general manager at Seletar Aerospace Park Jet Aviation Singapore. is coming to fruition. Selatar’s impressive tenant roll- call includes Pratt & Whitney, Rolls- A new, shared business aviation and and reduce the number of business jets Royce, Bell Helicopter-Cessna, Airbus regional airline terminal is being built at using Changi International Airport. The Helicopters, Bombardier, ATR, CAE, Seletar and should be operational by the terminal will be appropriately sized to Fokker Services, Jet Aviation, Hawker end of 2018. The aim is to encourage more cater to business aircraft and turboprop- Paciﬁc and ST Aerospace. business aircraft operators to use Seletar size regional airliners. —Mike Vines

12 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews COCKPIT B50 THE ULTIMATE PILOT’S INSTRUMENT

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BREITLING.COM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT P&W Unveils ‘Singapore-Made’ GTF Blades

Pratt & Whitney will use the Singapore Airshow to demonstrate Greater automation is a key trend in how it is using Singapore as a base for manufacturing work. The Singapore’s MRO industry. In Singapore, as in other developed countries, it is a chal- company is building fan blades and turbine disks for the P&W lenge to recruit maintenance technicians. geared-turbine fan (GTF) engine in the city-state. The first fan So there is a strong push there to produce a blade manufactured and assembled in Singapore was completed higher volume of work using fewer people. earlier this year. Kirkpatrick says one example of new repair technology they have developed locally and which has boosted productiv- he main body of the GTF fan blade was the first – choosing the GTF for its C ity is a machine that can measure the cor- Tis machined and assembled at Series – and since then others have fol- rect curvature of engine tubes. Jet engines P&W’s facility at Seletar Aerospace Park. lowed, namely the Mitsubishi Regional have tubes – of many different shapes and Assembly involves adding the cover, insert Jet, Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX and titanium edging. and Embraer E2. All these new aircraft “The fan blade is very difficult to types are powered by the GTF. machine,” says Kevin Kirkpatrick, Kirkpatrick says United Technologies P&W director of aftermarket operations Corp. has proven to be a very good parent Singapore, adding that the fan blade is company, because it had the foresight to made of an ultra-light metal alloy. He says invest in the GTF. He also says UTC has the personnel who do the machining did invested research and development money their training locally, but P&W also had into its other business units and has been good at leveraging technology across them. However, Kirkpatrick qualifies this statement by adding there has been very little Singapore is one of only two technology transfer to and from P&W. The locations in the world where the only exception may be compressor technol- GTF fan blade is made; the other ogy that can be applied to UTC’s Carrier location is in Michigan. air-conditioning business. The fact that the volume of engines is set to increase through P&W’s manufacturing trainers from the U.S. come to Singapore. and MRO facilities in Singapore means Kirkpatrick says industry observers tend the company has been investing in infor- to focus on the P&W GTF’s gear technol- mation technology to help it better man- ogy. But the fan-blade technology is also a age its supply chain and inventory, says very important part that allows the GTF Kirkpatrick. to have a higher bypass ratio. The first C Series GTF engine in the Singapore is one of only two locations world will be overhauled in Singapore, in the world where the GTF fan blade is as part of an earlier deal with Singapore Singapore is one of only two made; the other location is in Michigan. Airlines Engineering (SIAEC). In 2010, locations in the world where the The city-state is also the only place in SIAEC became a risk revenue sharing part- GTF fan blade is made. the world where P&W does overhaul of the ner on the GTF program with a 3% stake PW4000, the company’s family of engines in the C Series engine program and a 1% that powers the Airbus A300, A310 and stake in the MRJ engine program. sizes – and previously there needed to be A330, as well as the Boeing 747, 767 and The first operator of the C Series is Swiss a different machine for each type of tube. 777. The PW4000, however, is not the International Air Lines, which is due to put This was labor intensive and costly, how- dominant engine-type on these aircraft its initial C Series aircraft into commercial ever, because a team of people needed to platforms. But the Singapore facility also operations in the first half of this year. set up each machine and then when they has work from overhauling GE90 engines. In a separate development, P&W is work- were finished with it, they had to put the P&W anticipates the volume of work ing to develop new repair techniques in machine away in storage. It also took up a through its engine shops in Singapore is Singapore, which includes using robots lot of space to store these machines. set to increase dramatically thanks to the and finding other ways to achieve more But Kirkpatrick says Pratt & Whitney upcoming introduction of the GTF. automation. “We want to speed up the Singapore’s International Aerospace Tubes Kirkpatrick says the GTF is the reason throughput but keep costs down while Asia has developed a single machine that there are so many new aircraft types com- maintaining quality standards,” says can measure all the different tubes, while ing onto the market. He says Bombardier Kirkpatrick. maintaining the highest levels of accuracy.

14 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews Always in Control

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SEE US AT SINGAPORE AIR SHOW ‘16 www.iai.co.il Israel Pavilion, Booth N-41 [email protected] ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce delivered the first engine from Seletar, a Trent 900 for an Airbus Developing A380, in December 2012. New Engines in Singapore

Rolls-Royce is continuing to ramp up production at its Singapore engine assembly plant as it works to develop the new Trent 7000 and new technologies for future engines.

he Seletar plant assembled Trent 7000, although the first technology and research. The in high school and tertiary stu- T80 engines last year, a mix two test engines will be made in center’s key areas of research, dents as well as national ser- of Trent 900s and Trent 1000s, Derby, England, says Bhangu. all of which are relevant to the vicemen to the show. A section and is working to achieve its tar- Rolls-Royce aims to have the aerospace industry are: surface of the show site will be set up get of 250 engines per annum Trent 7000 certified in first enhancement, repair and resto- so attendees can learn about by the end of 2017, says Bicky quarter 2017 with entry into ration; robotics; additive man- courses relevant to Singapore’s Bhangu, Rolls-Royce director service in the fourth quarter ufacturing; and production aerospace industry. Aerospace for Singapore. of that year. Airlines that have verification, which involves companies will also be there Rolls-Royce (Booth N23) also ordered the A330neo include measurement techniques for to show the work that they do. makes fan blades in Singapore Delta Air Lines and AirAsia X. geometric, dimensional and Rolls-Royce plans to have one for Trent 900, Trent 1000 and Rolls-Royce also has a tech- topographic information. of its Trent 1000 engines that Trent XWB engines. Bhangu nology development center Bhangu says Rolls-Royce it assembles in Singapore on says it produced 3,100 fan at Seletar, next to its engine works with 31 tertiary insti- display for the students. blades in Singapore last year assembly and fan-blade fac- tutions around the world, of In addition to assembling and is ramping up production tory. It is currently develop- which Singapore’s NTU is the engines, manufacturing fan to achieve annual production ing new processes for surface 31st. He says Rolls-Royce has blades and developing new of 7,600 blades by end of 2017. modification and finishing; a corporate lab within NTU technologies in Singapore, The engine-maker recently new electrical systems that that has 190 employees, 80 of Rolls-Royce bases its customer announced that the Singapore can reliably work with aircraft whom are Rolls-Royce employ- support center for the Asia- facility would assemble the engines and help power elec- ees. The purpose of this lab is to Pacific region here. There are Trent 7000, the engine that tronics and control systems; encourage “blue skies” research 600 Rolls-Royce engines oper- will power the Airbus A330neo. data analytics; and new repair and then develop useful com- ating in the region, accounting This is a significant develop- techniques, especially for commercial applications. for 20% of the global tally, and ment, because Rolls-Royce posite parts. Rolls-Royce also offers 100 the manufacturer forecasts that Singapore will also be help- Bhangu says Rolls-Royce internship programs each number will increase to 1,600 ing to develop the engine. Singapore last year gained its year for Singapore university in 2018. Previously, all engine develop- first global patent. It covers and polytechnic students. He To support its airline custom- ment was done in Europe, and technology for electrical sys- feels it is important to engage ers in the region, Roll-Royce after Rolls-Royce had success- tems that will power future the young and encourage them established a customer support fully tested the engines in the Rolls-Royce engines. to join Singapore’s aerospace center in Singapore in 2015. UK, as was the case with the Rolls-Royce is also a mem- industry. The center provides technical Trent 900 and Trent 1000, ber of AStar’s Advanced As part of its effort to engage support, data analytics and production was then trans- Remanufacturing and the next generation, Rolls- fleet planning. This is the first ferred to Singapore. Technology Center at Nanyang Royce will participate in the Rolls-Royce customer center of Rolls-Royce Singapore will Technological University Singapore Airshow’s Education its type and the company plans also assemble test engines (NTU). AStar is the Singapore Day, to be held Feb. 18 and 19. to roll out similar centers in and use its test cell to test the government agency for science, The show organizers will bus other parts of the world.

16 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews See us at Singapore Airshow February 16 – 21, 2016 Exhibition hall, Booth J65 It’s quiet, it’s clean, it’s MTU.

15% less fuel, 15% lower CO2 emissions and noise levels cut in half – the Geared TurbofanTM engine is the aircraft engine of the future. And it features MTU’s unique high-speed low-pressure turbine. Just some of the reasons why the Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower® engine family is the ﬁ rst choice for the next generation of single-aisle aircraft and regional jets. www.mtu.de/en ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GE Singapore Readies for Repair Avalanche

General Electric will invest US$110 million engines, this is likely to grow leader Chen Keng Nam. as the ﬂeet swells. A series of innovative repair in the company’s Singapore-based engine As part of getting ready for technologies, such as cold component repair facilities to prepare for repairs on the LEAP family and spray, additive manufactur- an unprecedented boom in demand for GE9X the Singapore facility is ing and automated laser weld- commercial engine overhauls that is expected to spearheading repair processes ing, are being evaluated in a to handle new materials rang- recently established LEAN sweep through the market within ﬁve years. ing from super alloys and single lab for advanced manufactur-

he GE Aviation Engine TServices-Singapore facil- CFM’s LEAP-1B powered the ity will apply the funding over A321neo on its first flight on Feb.9 The CFM56 family the next 10 years to develop currently makes up an array of repair processes as 46.9% of the unit’s well as new robotic technologies that are needed to match business, and given the the advanced materials suite present trend of low oil- in new generation engines prices driving longer use such as the CFM LEAP, GEnx of older engines, this and GE9X, while the robotic is likely to grow as the developments will help the Singapore and other GE repair fleet swells. sites to cope with the rapidly increasing volume of work. ing that has been set up on the The Singapore facility, first shop floor. The laser welder, opened in 1981, is now “one which is designed to detect, of the largest component repair clean and weld cracks, “will be shops GE has anywhere in the first of its kind in the world world,” says managing direc- if successful,” adds Chen. tor and site leader Dev Rudra. The lab is being funded under Focusing on the repair and million] last year,” says Rudra. crystals to composites. It is also the investment package along overhaul of high-pressure com- “But as fleets start to mature, continuing development work with three other projects, one pressor and turbine blades, and we start to get into the CFM on repairs for advanced coat- of which is the establishment vanes, nozzles and combus- LEAP, the ramp will come. We ings such as nickel aluminide of an automation and robotics tors, the business has grown don’t know exactly what sort of and super chromide. “Coatings Center of Excellence. Other from US$2 million in sales growth it will be but we could are a very important part of the projects include the setting up and 12 airlines to sales of more expect it to be significant.” he business, particularly corro- of an advanced technologies than US$1 billion in 2015 and adds. The CFM56 family cur- sion protection coatings such center for research and devel- a portfolio of more than 150 rently makes up 46.9% of the as electron beam vapor deposi- opment on new processes and customers. unit’s business, and given the tion, which extends the life of technologies, and a new center “We saw a 20% increase in present trend of low oil-prices the part,” adds Technology and of excellence for repair. one year in parts shipped [1.6 driving longer use of older Engineering Services business —Guy Norris

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18 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews

Airbus A321neo Makes Maiden Flight The Airbus A321neo completed its first flight testing is “indifferent” to which requirement to modify engine is used. PW1100G engines are believed on Feb. 9, marking another milestone for the Airbus pointed out that the to be behind the last-minute manufacturer’s new single-aisle family. delivery schedule for both change in first flight sequence, the Pratt and CFM variants giving P&W more time to remains unchanged: The first catch up. PW1100G-powered A321neo The A321neo has enjoyed is still scheduled for delivery remarkable sales success even to Qatar Airways before the before its first flight. Airbus end of 2016, with the first has received firm orders for CFM-equipped A321neo to 1,094 as airlines use larger follow in early 2017. The first narrowbodies in their efforts PW-powered A321neo will fly to lower unit costs. The long- in the coming weeks. range A321LR version will be Late last year, Qatar Airways capable of flying up to 4,000 stepped back from taking the nm on transatlantic routes he aircraft took off from in powerplants after Airbus first A320neo because of some and will therefore be able THamburg’s Finkenwerder decided to use an aircraft pow- initial operational limitations to replace the Boeing 757 Airport for a flight that lasted ered by CFM International that are still in place for the in most markets. Deliveries 5 hr. and 29 min., circling LEAP-1A engines rather Pratt Pratt variant. The engines begin in 2019. over Northern Germany while & Whitney PW1100Gs. The are to be run at idle for 3 min. About one-quarter of the the crew validated its flight company did not explain why following start-up until the A320neo family backlog of envelope at various altitudes it made the change other than manufacturer has completed almost 4,500 aircraft is now and speeds. The otherwise saying that “it does not matter and introduced software and for the A321neo, while the routine flight was remarkable which engine comes first in hardware. A319neo has only received because of a last-minute switch flight test” and that a lot of the The logistics around the 50 orders. —Jens Flottau

USNS Lorenzen Iran Air Orders was built to You Didn’t carry the Raytheon Up to 40 ATRs Cobra King See This dual-band IRAN AIR CONTINUES to place large aircraft missile- tracking radar. orders and has signed a commitment for up to 40 ATR turboprops. The contract, currently a memorandum of understanding, covers firm commitments for 20 ATR 72-600s plus 20 options. ATR NOT EVERY INTERESTING vehi- guesses as to what it is doing in the says commercial discussions have been held cle passing the air show site is in the region, and the first two don’t count. on the sidelines of last month’s visit of Iran’s sky. Saturday morning saw the USNS The radar was developed by the U.S. president Hassan Rouhani to Rome and Howard O. Lorenzen sail by. The two Air Force – one author says of its pre- Paris. The French and Italian governments massive radar antennas on the ship’s decessor, Cobra Judy, that “the fund- played an important role in the deal because superstructure and stern, and the fact ing mechanism is too byzantine to they offered assistance through their export that Lorenzen was no sailor but an explain usefully” – and the two anten- credit agencies in financing deliveries. electrical engineer, should tip you nas operate in different bands: S-band Iran Air, hit by Western sanctions, is in ur- off to the fact that something rather gives the best range and cues the gent need to replace its aging fleet, as are all spooky is involved. Which it is. X-band antenna onto the target for other Iranian airlines. The flag carrier so far The USNS Lorenzen, which became best resolution. The antennas – each has not operated regional aircraft. Its small- operational in 2014, is a purpose- tipping the scales at the hundreds of est jets are Fokker 100s. The airline earlier built platform for the Raytheon Cobra tons – are electronically scanned but this month placed an order for 118 Airbus King radar, designed to track missiles mechanically gimballed, keeping the jets to renew its mainline fleet. —Jens Flottau and satellites at classified but very target in the radar’s sweet spot at all (See ATR page 54) long (as in four-digit) ranges. Three times. —Bill Sweetman

20 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews A generation ahead. In service today.

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Visit us at the Singapore Airshow, Booth L39. P&W ‘Laser Focused’ for Historic Year

oosted by the entry-into- The PW1900G first service of the first flew aboard P&W’s B B747SP test bed on PW1100G-powered Airbus Nov. 3, 2015. A320 with Lufthansa in late January, Pratt & Whitney is developed hardware and soft- soft poised for its busiest year of ware fixes to enable faster long-awaited entry-into-ser- Flight tests of the PW1900G certification and production engine starts. Initial operat- vice of the initial PW1500G- are continuing on Pratt’s 747SP build-up across the company’s ing requirements call for the powered Bombardier CSeries flying test bed in Mirabel, geared turbofan product line engine to be maintained at CS100. “Testing is going very Canada. Although intended since the program’s launch in idle for 3 min. after start-up well. They are hitting fuel as a relatively short test cam- 2008. because of the risk of minimal burn, emissions and noise, paign because of commonality “We’ve started the new era of bending of the engine shaft and weight looks great,” says with the CSeries engine, evalu- aviation with the next genera- under certain conditions. Gernhardt. In current func- ation has been extended into tion of geared turbofans,” says The re-shuffle of PW1100G tional and reliability testing, in early 2016 to complete altitude P&W Commercial Engines engines associated with incor- which several aircraft are flying performance work. “The data president Greg Gernhardt. porating the “motor to start” routinely to emulate airline- looks good,” says Gernhardt. “We talked about a historic changes is thought to be one like operations, the CSeries is Embraer plans to begin flying last quarter for us in 2015 with of the reasons Airbus opted to “at 100% dispatch reliability the first E190-E2 in the second first flight of the Mitsubishi start flight tests of the A321neo right now. The engine is going half of 2016, with entry into Regional Jet, first flight of the on Feb. 9 with an aircraft great,” he adds. service set for 2018. Embraer E190/195-E2 engine powered by the competing Testing of the PW1400G for Across all programs, includ- and ready for entry-into-service CFM International Leap-1A the Irkut MS-21 meanwhile ing the PW1200G for the of the A320neo. We hit all the rather than the Pratt aircraft continues at Pratt’s West Palm MRJ, which resumed flight milestones,” he adds. as originally scheduled. Pratt Beach, Florida, facility where tests following its initial While acknowledging and Airbus both describe the an engine is being tested in a flight on Nov. 11, Pratt now that the service debut of the change as a minor alteration simulated crosswind condi- has 65 active test engines and A320neo was pushed into in the overall development plan tion for fan stress and fan flut- amassed 48,200 cycles and early 2016 by engine start and reaffirm that initial deliver- ter evaluation. The first two 30,800 hr. of development test time issues, Pratt is “laser ies of the PW1100G-powered podded engines, encased in hours across all the platforms. focused on delivering the A321neo will take place on complete nacelles, have been “2016 is already being a very neo through 2016,” says time before the end of this year. delivered to Irkut for installa- busy year,” says Gernhardt. Gernhardt. The company has Next up for Pratt will be the tion on the prototype MS-21. —Guy Norris

22 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews

Singapore to Be Next Trent XWB Operator

ingapore Airlines is in the final Sphases of acceptance testing for its first Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84- powered Airbus A350-900, the delivery of which will make the Asian carrier the fifth operator of the new Airbus twin. The first Trent XWB-97 The aircraft, which is the first of for the A350-1000 is being 63 A350-900s on order for Singapore flight tested on an A380. in addition to 20 options, completed its first flight at Toulouse, France, on Feb. 787 was formerly considered Rolls’ best 2. Singapore Airlines expects to take 11 debut exercise until now, Boddy says “I’m A350s in the first year of operations, now pleased to say the XWB is the best during the first few months of which entry-into-service ever.” the aircraft will be temporarily flown on Rolls is assembling the 100th production select Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur flights Trent XWB-84 as it accelerates toward a tar- for crew training. Longer haul flights get rate of five engines per week by the end to Europe will begin later in 2017 with of this year. The engine is currently being ultra-long-haul flights direct to the U.S. made at the rate of three per week, but the set to begin in 2018. line is ramping up to “meet the peak of pro- A total of 15 A350-900s are now duction for Airbus,” says Boddy. The A350 in service with four airlines: Finnair, order book currently stands at 777, of which Qatar Airways, TAM and Vietnam Rolls-Royce engineers assemble the 100th Trent XWB-84 181 are for the stretched A350-1000s. for the Airbus A350-900. Airlines. For Rolls-Royce, which is the Flight tests of the first Trent XWB-97 exclusive engine supplier for the A350, very smooth, both with customers we know engine for the A350-1000 are meanwhile the entry-into-service period has been like Qatar and equally with Vietnam and underway on an A380 flying test bed and problem-free, says Tim Boddy, head of Finnair, which are new to us.” Although going to plan, according to Boddy. marketing for the Trent XWB. “It’s been the Trent 1000 service-entry on the Boeing —Guy Norris

to support UK Special Forces. “High-altitude aircraft will provide next- UK to Buy Two generation battlefield intelligence to our Armed Forces. They will be able to fly Zephyr Pseudo higher and for longer to gather constant, reliable information over vast geographical Satellites areas,” Fallon said in a statement. Zephyr 8 is a development of the Zephyr platforms initially developed by QinetiQ but purchased by Airbus in 2013. Last September, Airbus officials told journalists that the first Zephyr 8 aircraft has already been built at the company’s facilities in Farnborough and would carry out its first The UK has confirmed it will be the first customer for the flight in 2016. Airbus Defense and Space Zephyr 8 solar-powered high- Company officials say the system will altitude long-endurance unmanned air vehicle, with an order have an endurance of up to three months. for two aircraft. The system will operate at around 70,000 ft. above the weather and air traffic and can The new Zephyr 8, based on the Zephyr 7, will enter service in the UK. carry a payload of around 5 kg, enough for a small camera system or to act as a com- THE ZEPHYR IS the first of a new genera- Contracts for the two Zephyrs, valued at munications relay. tion of high-altitude surveillance drones, around GBP10.6 million (US$15.5 mil- The company is studying options to known as pseudo satellites. Airbus is pro- lion), will be signed by the UK in the com- be able to carry lightweight phased-array moting the aircraft here at the Singapore ing weeks, Secretary of State for Defense radar and is studying its use as a flying cell Airshow. Michael Fallon said. Zephyr will be used phone mast. —Tony Osborne

24 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews

COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT Narrowbody Airliners Enter a New Era

Wholesale renewal of the global narrowbody airliner fleet begins 737NG east and west lines. These lines in 2016, with accelerating deliveries of Airbus A320neos, and are now producing 21 aircraft each month and, together with added MAX production, Boeing’s rival 737 MAX entering testing. Orders have slowed, will see overall assembly rates reach 52 per but with a combined backlog exceeding 7,300 aircraft, eyes are month by 2018. “The plan will be to first on whether Boeing will move to match Airbus’ plan to ramp up introduce the MAX on this 100%-dedi- A320neo production to 60 a month by mid-2019. cated line, then we will start moving MAXs onto the east line and ultimately to the west,” says Greg Batcher, head of manufac- he delivery of the first Airbus A320neo Tto Lufthansa on Jan. 20 marked a historic moment. Almost 28 years after the first delivery of the original A320 to Air France, the second-generation Airbus narrowbody-aircraft family is entering commercial service. And just days after, Boeing’s first new 737 MAX 8 made its first flight at its narrowbody plant in Renton, Washington. The age of super-efficient narrowbody airplanes is about to begin. The MAX family had accumulated more than 2,950 firm orders before the initial aircraft left the paint hangar, compared to 501 for the 737NG at rollout. Yet remarkably, even with such a large orderbook, Boeing finds itself playing catch-up with the A320neo, which was launched more than a year ahead of the MAX. Firm sales Lufthansa became launch customer for Airbus’ best-selling A320neo with delivery of the first aircraft on Jan. 20. (l to r) UTC (parent of Pratt & Whitney) EVP David Hess; new Pratt & Whitney president Robert Leduc; Lufthansa of the reengined Airbus have climbed to Group chairman and CEO Carsten Spohr; Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Brégier; and Airbus A320 family almost 4,500, a record for any commercial program head Klaus Roewe. airliner that is yet to enter service. While no one in 1996 (when the current-gener- the aircraft, with orders for 430 aircraft. turing for the 737 MAX. The transition to ation 737 was launched) could have fore- Initial deliveries of the A320neo were the east and west lines will occur in 2018- seen 737NG orders approaching 7,000 delayed from mid-December due to 19 as production of the NG winds down. by the time its successor was built, neither warming-up problems with the PW1100G Airbus similarly has to tackle the transi- could they have imagined that, even with engines. The engine manufacturer says all tion to the A320neo while it is ramping almost 3,000 orders already in the bag, the restrictions should be lifted by the end of the up narrowbody production in general. MAX would begin life in an uphill battle second quarter, with no penalty to fuel burn. The manufacturer plans to produce 50 to match Airbus. Four 737-8s will be involved in the initial A320neos and conventional-engine- The pressure is therefore on Boeing to MAX certification plan before the 737-9 option aircraft each month by the end maintain its schedule and achieve prom- and 737-7 derivatives follow. Certification of 2017, up from the current 42. Output ised performance throughout a trouble- of the aircraft’s CFM Leap-1B engine is will be increased further to 60 aircraft per free flight-test program. From a schedule expected shortly after first flight, while cer- month by mid-2019. The last current- perspective, the MAX is on track for entry tification of the initial 737-8 is expected generation aircraft is slated to be built in into service launch customer Southwest in the first half of 2017. The second test 2018, so A320neos will already have to be Airlines in third quarter 2017. aircraft, 1A002, is in final assembly and produced at very high rates in 2017. Qatar Airways is poised to be the sec- undergoing systems checks, including The initial aircraft are to be delivered ond A320neo operator, followed by Indigo, swings of its landing gear, while awaiting from Hamburg, where a fourth A320 line all with Pratt & Whitney PW1100G installation of its engines. is to be established. The Toulouse final PurePower Geared Turbofan engines. After the initial low-rate-production assembly line is to follow. All Airbus facili- Lufthansa has ordered 101 A320neo- batch is completed at a relatively slow pace ties, including Tianjin, China, and the new family aircraft. Qatar has ordered a to iron out any assembly bugs or issues plant in Mobile, Alabama, are to transition combined 50 A320neos and A321neos. with parts flow, the central line will begin within the next three years. Indigo is the largest single customer for pulsing at the same rate as the adjacent —Jens Flottau and Guy Norris

26 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews The V2500® engine: It speaks for itself.

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Visit us at the Singapore Airshow, Booth L39. COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT Boeing Begins 737 MAX Flight Test Program

Boeing successfully completed the first flight of the 737 MAX on Jan. 29, marking the start of a test and certification effort slated to last into early 2017. “We have now ushered in the new era of the 737,” says Keith Leverkuhn, the 737 MAX vice president and general manager.

ow Boeing may consider 2017, though Boeing declines Nspeeding up the test pro- to comment. gram to allow completion and An earlier certification delivery of the first aircraft, to date would enable deliveries launch customer Southwest to begin sooner in 2017 and Airlines, sooner than the origi- ramp up the availability of nal schedule in the third quar- aircraft in the market to com- The Boeing 737 MAX took to the skies for the first tine on Jan. 29. ter of 2017. pete with the Airbus A320neo. Boeing’s 737 chief pilot Ed The first version of the Airbus Wilson says basic flight test- twin entered service with the performance of the air- Next Generation version and ing is expected to be complete Lufthansa earlier in January craft’s CFM LEAP-1B engines, slightly over 14% compared to in around nine months, while and, with more than a year’s which form the bulk of the the latest versions. The engine Leverkuhn adds that the head start, the re-engined twin performance improvement is also quieter. extended range twin opera- has established a significant for the MAX over the current The second test airframe, tions (ETOPS) and func- lead over the MAX in terms generation 737. The engine, 1A002, is meanwhile due to tional and reliability phase of orders. Total firm orders added to significant aerody- join the test program around will likely extend into early for the MAX currently stand namic and structural changes, the end of February, while the 2017. The timing therefore at 3,072, while the neo has is expected to reduce overall third aircraft will follow later in suggests a possible certifica- 4,414 in the backlog. fuel burn by more than 20% the second quarter. tion target as early as March The flight test crew praised compared to the original 737 —Guy Norris

CFM’s LEAP Powers 737 MAX Test Program

reduce overall fuel burn by more than 20% more than 140 LEAP-1As and-1Bs, the first of compared to the original 737 Next Genera- the coming flood, will be delivered in 2016. tion version and slightly over 14% compared Production of the LEAP engine is set to rise to the current model. The engine is also rapidly from 2016 on, reaching over 1,000 quieter. Boeing chief test pilot and vice presi- engines a year by 2018 and more than 2,000 dent of Flight Operations Craig Bomben, who per year by 2020. was at the controls for the first flight, briefly CFMI has been the sole engine supplier for checked the cabin and “was amazed at how all Boeing 737 aircraft models since 1981. To quiet the cabin was, and that is without an in- date, a total of 6,144 LEAP-1B engines have terior.” The aircraft was also noticeably quiet been ordered to power the 3,072 MAX air- on take-off from Renton, Washington. craft family from 62 customers. The engine The CFM LEAP-1B is the exclusive powerplant for the Boeing 737 MAX. The first variant of the engine, the LEAP- competes on the A320neo against Pratt & 1A, has amassed almost 500 flight hours on Whitney’s PW1100G geared turbofan. the Airbus A320neo since the first flight of CFMI is on track for joint U.S. Federal Avia- THE NEW-GENERATION LEAP-1B engine the CFM-powered version in May 2015. The tion Administration and European Aviation from GE-Snecma joint venture CFM Interna- LEAP-1A-equipped A320neo is due to enter Safety Agency certification for the 737 MAX tional launched the flight test program for service around midyear. to support that aircraft’s entry into service Boeing’s 737 MAX on Jan. 29. Overall orders for the LEAP, which will in 2017. Around 75% of the required engine The engine, added to significant aerody- power the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX certification reports have been submitted namic and structural changes, is expected to and Comac C919, now exceed 10,000, and to date.

28 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews

COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT Bombardier Ramps Up C Series Production

ombardier has begun the ramp- Bombardier’s own flight crew. six months as planned. Bombardier will Bup to full C Series production after Bombardier says the CS100 will fly to continue to work with Transport Canada completing the structural build of Swiss Europe in the coming weeks, having earlier to validate the CS100 aircraft’s training International Air Lines’ first CS100, which completed a tour of more than 35 North syllabus,” Bombardier says. is scheduled for delivery in the second American cities during its route-proving Late last year the Government of Quebec quarter of this year. program. agreed to invest $1 billion in a partner- During route-proving, ship with Bombardier to get the delayed C Bombardier’s C Series CS100 a new aircraft is tested to Series airliner into profitable production. is making its Asian debut here check its readiness for nor- The Montreal-based manufacturer sub- at the Singapore Airshow. mal scheduled operations, sequently took a $3.2 billion write-down using typical airline flight on development costs, an action that will routings and operational accelerate returns from sales of the nar- procedures. rowbody airliner. “The European CS100 The company estimates it will require aircraft route-proving pro- another $2 billion to take the C Series program will be operated from gram to cashflow-positive production in Swiss’ own base in Zurich, 2020-21, with the bulk of that investment Switzerland – yet another coming in 2016. Half of that is to come way we are ensuring a flaw- from Quebec. Some analysts believe it will less entry-into-service along- take another $2.5-3 billion. side our first operator,” notes The company says it expects to spend a Bombardier Commercial combined $1.9-2.2 billion on the C Series Aircraft president Fred and development of the Global 7000 busi- Cromer. ness jet in 2015 and a similar amount in “The final assembly facility is fully Bombardier is heavily involving Swiss in 2016. equipped and production is progressing the route-proving, operating the airlines’ The stated prodution ramp-up calls for according to plan with aircraft in various routes and schedules, supported by Swiss’ delivery of 15-20 aircraft in 2016, 30-35 stages of the build sequence,” Bombardier own crews and maintenance teams. in 2017, 45-55 in 2018, 75-85 in 2019 says. The CS100 received its Type Certificate and 90-120 in 2020, with a mature rate Swiss’ flight crews are now undergoing from Transport Canada in December 2015. of 120-150 aircraft a year. intensive training in the 110-seat CS100 “Bombardier’s CS300 aircraft, the Bombardier has booked orders and com- in Québec, in preparation for route-prov- larger model with 135 seats, is on track to mitments for 603 C Series aircraft, including flights that they will perform alongside obtain its type certificate within the next ing firm orders for 243. —Victoria Moores MC-21: First Flight Delayed by Six Months

RUSSIA IS INCHING nearer 2015 with a first flight planned delivered within a month. The second engine option will toward reaching its strategic for mid-2016. The Irkutsk-based facility be PD-14 engines developed by goal of re-entering the narrow- The reason for the postpone- intends to assemble three pro- Perm-based Aviadvigatel. The body market. But it is experi- ment could be a delay in the totypes for flight trials and one company has been conducting encing more development chal- development of the composite for static tests. The 160-210- trials onboard the Il-76LL fly- lenges and delays. wing. The fuselage was ready seat MC-21-300 will be the ing lab since November 2015. The rollout of the first pro- in 2015, but the first compos- first version. Its certification is The Russian government totype of Russia’s new MC-21 ite right wing panel was deliv- now planned for 2017-2018. decided to allocate an extra 7.7 narrowbody aircraft has slipped ered to the MC-21 assembly It will be followed by the billion rubles (about US$100 by half a year to mid-2016, facility in Irkutsk, a part of smaller MC-21-200 for 130- million) in the federal budget Russia’s minister for industry Irkut Corp., only in mid-Janu- 175 passengers. to the MC-21 development in and trade Denis Manturov con- ary. The wing is manufactured MC-21 customers can choose 2016, bringing total financial fessed at the end of December. by AeroComposit in Ulyanovsk between two powerplants for the support for the program to 12.7 The first flight is now expected using vacuum infusion tech- aircraft. It will initially fly with billion rubles this year. to take place at the end of 2016. nology. A Russian aircraft the Pratt & Whitney PW1400G According to Irkut, the According to previous plans, industry source told Aviation geared turbofan. The test MC-21 backlog stands at 276 the first prototype should have Week that the left wing panel engines were supplied to Russia aircraft, including 175 firm been assembled by the end of for the first prototype is to be in the summer of 2015. orders. —Maxim Pyadushkin

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Embraer says it will roll out the ﬁrst jet of the second generation of the E-Jets family of commercial aircraft, the E-Jet E2, on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016, at its São José dos Campos headquarters in Brazil.

he first E-Jet E2 to be pre- even more modern, with sig- Tsented to the public will nificant reduction in operating be the up-to-106-passenger cost and unmatched passenger E190-E2, which has its first comfort.” flight scheduled for the sec- With an investment of ond half of 2016 and entry US$1.7 billion, the E-Jets into service in 2018. The E2 program was launched in other two aircraft of the sec- June, 2013. Since then, the ond generation, the E195-E2 E2s have achieved a backlog and E175-E2, are scheduled of 267 firm orders, in addition to enter service in 2019 and to 373 options and purchase The second-generation E-Jet E2 family brackets the 70- to 130-seat segment. 2020, respectively. rights, having airlines and “It will be gratifying to see the leasing companies among its company says. The aircraft and improvements to other first E190-E2 leave the hangar customers. Currently, the fam- will have state-of-the-art Pratt systems, the E2s will deliver toward the tests that will lead ily of E-Jets is in operation & Whitney PurePower Geared significant reductions in fuel to the inaugural flight,” says with some 70 customers in 50 Turbofan high-bypass-ratio burn, maintenance costs, emis- Paulo Cesar Silva, president countries. engines (PW1700G on the sions and external noise. & CEO, Embraer Commercial The E2 program reaffirms E175-E2, PW1900G on the Meanwhile, Embraer cut the Aviation. “The second genera- Embraer’s (Chalet CD31) com- E190-E2 and E195-E2) first metal for the E195-E2 in tion of E-Jets will allow cur- mitment to maintain its lead- Combined with new aero- mid-January, with goals of first rent and future operators to ership position in the 70- to dynamically advanced wings, flight in 2017, and first deliver- incorporate aircraft that are 132-seat aircraft segment, the full fly-by-wire flight controls ies during the first half of 2019.

Tianjin Airlines Introduces New E-Jets to China

Tianjin Airlines began taking deliveries of a US$2.1 billion order for generation E190-E2, following the order for 20 of each type signed 40 Embraer E-Jets with the acceptance two months ago of the first during the 2014 visit to Brazil of Chinese President Xi Jinping. of 20 E195s for the regional airline. Currently, Tianjin Airlines operates the largest Embraer E190 fleet The subsidiary of HNA Group is the launch customer in China for in China, with nearly 50 aircraft mainly serving secondary trunk lines the E195. It will also be the first airline there to operate the next- and regional lines. It is not only Embraer’s largest customer in the Asia-Pacific region but also the manufacturer’s first Authorized Service Center in China, notes Guan Dongyuan, president of Embraer China. Tianjin was the launch customer in that country for the E190. Embraer Commercial Aviation claims an 80% share of the Chinese regional aviation market with some 224 orders, of which more than 130 have been delivered. “China’s regional aviation industry has just taken off and will be the most robust in the world in the next decade,” says Tianjin Airlines took delivery of its first two E195 regional jets last December. Embraer Commercial Aviation president & CEO Paulo Cesar Silva.

32 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews PUSHING THE ENVELOPE GLOBALEYE – THE ALL-NEW AEW&C SOLUTION

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Visit the Saab stand D11 at Singapore Airshow 2016. COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT Airbus, Boeing Head for Record Output

Airbus is starting to deliver greater numbers of A350s as Boeing beneﬁts from high 787 output. Both companies reject overcapacity concerns and are steadily expanding production.

espite economic and polit- aircraft in a year. In 2012, production system and a bal- 737 output to 47 aircraft per Dical uncertainties around Boeing delivered 601, which anced backlog. The mix “will month in 2017, to 52 in 2018, the world, and higher-than- was the most in a single year help ensure a steady stream of and 57 a month in 2019. ever aircraft deliveries, Airbus since 1999. In comparison, the deliveries for years to come,” Boeing delivered 495 737s in and Boeing are confident that manufacturer delivered 477 in says Conner. 2015, 10 more than in 2014. the market will absorb even fur- 2011 and 460 in 2010. With the effect of further This increase managed to keep ther increases in output. Although orders for the ramp-up decisions kicking in 737 deliveries slightly ahead of Airbus, following a short year were only around 50% of only later, Airbus is targeting the A320 family, and again rep- pause in its ramp-up, is con- 2014’s record-setting 1,432, a moderate increase in output resents the largest number of sidering increasing the output Boeing managed expectations this year. According to CEO any one model delivered in a of almost all of its products earlier in 2015 by forecasting Fabrice Bregier, around 650 air- single year in the history of the beyond the publicly announced a book-to-bill ratio of close to craft are going to be delivered. commercial jet age. targets. The manufacturer is one-to-one by year-end. As Following the introduction of Airbus plans to be able to pro- looking at whether it can duce 60 A320neo family go beyond the 60 aircraft aircraft by around mid- per month level on the 2019 but is not ruling out A320neo family that it cur- producing more A320ceos rently envisions for 2019, at that time if customers and beyond a rate of six per request more of the older month on the A330neo version aircraft. program. Airbus isn’t only grow- Airbus delivered 635 ing on the narrowbody aircraft in 2015, six more side but also as production than a year earlier. The of the A350 moves into full company received 1,139 swing. It will start deliver- gross orders and 1,036 net ing significant numbers of orders. At current rates, the A350s in 2016 and plans backlog of 6,787 aircraft to hand over around 50 is equivalent to 10 years aircraft this year, compared of production. “Our plans to 14 in 2015. The manu- are based on firm orders facturer wants to build 10 with down payments, not A350s per month in 2018. speculation,” says Airbus Boeing also saw a larger sales chief John Leahy. widebody output driven by Although Airbus clearly Airbus broke its record of 675 deliveries in 2015, with backlog rising to a new peak. the 787. In 2015, the com- outdid Boeing’s net order pany completed deliveries total of 768 for 2015, the U.S. 2015 closed, the company’s the first A320neo, narrowbody of 135 787s, compared with manufacturer retained the lead undelivered backlog stood at production raises will resume. 114 in 2014 and 65 the pre- in terms of deliveries with 762 5,795, a figure remarkably Leahy indicates that Airbus vious year; it has now handed for the year. The tally, which close to the 5,789 in the back- could go beyond 60 narrowbod- over 366 to customers so far. was once again boosted by the log at the same time in 2014. ies per month in the 2019/20 Deliveries of the new twinjet in accelerating production rates Boeing’s 2015 order tally, time frame, “perhaps even to 2016 are expected to climb to of the 737 and 787, helped though valued at a relatively 63.” He believes that the cur- around 140 aircraft. the company break its annual modest US$112.4 billion at rent market shift in favor of the Overall for 2016, Boeing delivery record for a third year current list prices compared A320neo will be permanent. forecasts it will deliver between running. Boeing delivered 723 to 2014’s US$232.7 billion, The A320neo reached a 67% 740 and 745 commercial air- and 648 commercial aircraft in represents “a solid year,” market share last year versus craft, slightly down on 2015’s 2014 and 2013, respectively. says Commercial Airplanes the Boeing 737 MAX. “I think record tally of 762. Deliveries The continuing growth in president and CEO Ray the market has spoken very for 2017 are set to return to the deliveries also marks the fourth Conner, who stresses the clearly. What was a 50/50 split growth curve set over the past year in succession Boeing company’s broader strategic is now a 60/40 split and it will four years. has delivered more than 600 goals of maintaining a stable stay that way.” Boeing is raising —Jens Flottau and Guy Norris

34 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews

FROM SINGAPORE TO FARTHER A BETTER WAY TO FLY.

boeing.com/commercial Boeing builds and delivers the most complete fl eet of long-range commercial airplanes, enabling airlines to offer nonstop, point-to-point service to virtually anywhere in the world. What’s more, Boeing’s long-range airplanes are renowned for their effi ciency and comfort, and consistently ranked fi rst by frequent fl yers. Going farther to make travel easier. That’s a better way to fl y. REGIONAL JETS Mitsubishi Defers MRJ Delivery to 2018

Whereas the Mitsubishi Regional Jet was originally due for months later than previously scheduled. delivery in the last quarter of 2013, new delays mean the first The airframe is being strengthened, but Mitsubishi Aircraft says that was part of customer, which should be All Nippon Airways, will receive its the plan when the previous schedule delay first aircraft in the second or third quarter of 2018. was announced in April 2015. Static testing revealed that the wing, for example, itsubishi Aircraft is expecting more allowance for concurrent ground testing. would not pass its test of ultimate load, Mof the unexpected. The company has In August 2013, the companies allowed 150% of the highest forces that could added around a year to the already delayed two years between the beginning of flight be expected in operation. The modifica- development schedule for its MRJ regional testing and the 2017 first delivery. As the tions are minor and will not add to empty jet, which is now expected to extend for date of the first flight slipped in April 2015 weight, the company says. more than a decade from its 2008 launch. from the second quarter to the fourth, Software in avionics, flight controls and The company is now allowing for far Mitsubishi Aircraft stuck by the delivery the engine control unit is being upgraded. more ground testing in support of the target, implying that flight testing and sub- Mitsubishi Aircraft and MHI say they flight-test program that began on Nov. sequent preparations for delivery could be are reorganizing the sharing of program 11, and which demonstrated the need for compressed to around 18 months. work between three main sites. The head strengthening of the MRJ’s airframe and That has now ballooned to 30-33 office at Nagoya Airport will be responsible modifying its software. But these are not months, the timeline shows. for documentation for type certification, the pacing items in the new schedule. The newly conservative approach of preparations for manufacturing (at various This time the problem is not difficulty Mitsubishi Aircraft and MHI appears most plants in Japan, with final assembly along- in following certification requirements, prominently in the time allowed for “feed- side Nagoya Airport) and customer sup- which resulted in the two previous big back of test results” after the beginning port. Design development, notably, is now delays, announced in 2012 and 2014. Rather, Mitsubishi Aircraft, following advice from U.S. experts at its engineering Mitsubishi’s MRJ center in Seattle, has simply taken a more regional jet has conservative, or realistic, view of how it resumed flight testing. needs to proceed with flight testing. Successful experience with prolonged ground preparations before the November first flight buttressed the decision to extend the schedule. “At the Seattle Engineering Center, we conducted a review before the first flight, working with aviation development experts there,” Mitsubishi Aircraft says in answer to Aviation Week’s queries. “This brought to light some additional items for confirmation through ground tests prior to the first flight.” That flight was delayed while additional work was done on the ground. “The result was that through three flight tests, including the first, we of flight testing at Moses Lake, meaning a responsibility of the Seattle Engineering were able to obtain valid, reliable results.” modifications to the aircraft, systems and Center, while Moses Lake concentrates on Thorough ground preparation worked software in response to test findings. This flight testing. then, and so the company intends to stick feedback allowance has more than doubled The three flight tests to date have pro- with the slow-and-steady procedure. “For to something like eight months. In other duced “as planned” results for takeoff and the work that is scheduled in the future, words, the program is making allowances landing performance; ascent, descent and we will conduct reviews in the same way,” for more of the unexpected, Mitsubishi turning; landing gear and flap operations; it says. “And these reviews may bring to Aircraft says. and “flight characteristics” at up to 15,000 light the need for additional tests and test Flight testing at Moses Lake is now due ft. and 200 kt. confirmation items.” to begin in the last quarter of next year, The first five flight-test aircraft have Although the items in the flight test pro- pushed back from the second quarter. been built to the design of the MRJ90, the gram have not changed, the assessment And all flight testing, including by aircraft 92-seat version of the aircraft. Certification of the time needed to complete them flown only in Japan, should be complete of the MRJ70, with 78 seats, will follow. has changed enormously, because of the by around the end of 2017, about nine —Bradley Perrett

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PERFORMANCE | EXECUTION | TECHNOLOGY MORE TO BELIEVE IN ISRAEL AT SINGAPORE IAI’s Growth Based on Technology Achievements

ast year was a challenging one for spending, we continue to strengthen improve current assets and extend their Lglobal defense and security. “At IAI we our position in strategic markets where operational life for many years. IAI has spent much effort to improve competitive- new competitors are becoming active. provided upgrading programs for third ness and provide our traditional custom- Addressing the growing demand for local generation aircraft and is now offering ers with comprehensive, operationallyy manufacturing and higher offset, IAI is similar upgrades for the fourth generation, proven solutions to current and futureure gearinggea to tighten its cooperation with such as the F-16. defense challenges while pursuingng locallo industry part- “By increasing automation and developing opportunities in new mar-r- ners.ne As developing reducing manpower needed for kets, says Joseph Weiss, IAI president mmarkets become operation and support of weapon and CEO. mmore significant, systems, IAI is offering broader “We passed some important mile- IAII is fielding more solutions based on unmanned sys- stones. In 2015, IAI completed majoror versatile,ve customized testing of Barak 8 and Arrow 3 mis-- andan affordable solu- The automated Taxibot aircraft taxiing siles, and advanced radar systemss tionstio to address spe- system entered service were matured and delivered, as wellll cificci customer needs last year. as special mission aircraft, unmannedd andan requirements.” systems and cybersecurity systems,s, WeissW says. addressing the needs of the militaryry Further addressing and civil markets.” theth need for reduced Joseph Weiss According to Weiss, civilian applica-a- totalto life cycle cost, tions in robotics entered a new stagege IAIIA (Chalet CD03) is offering various last year, with the Taxibot autonomousus upgradeup and modernization pro- towing system entering operationalal gramsgr for combat aircraft, heli- testing at Europe’s busiest hubs. “WeWe coptersco and transport planes. Life also strengthened our satellite portfolio,o, extensionex programs that include continuously improving the solution structurals work, integration of and performance of our observation advanced avionics, sensors, self- satellites.” he notes. protection, and The Barak 8 long-range surface-to-air “Facing continued reduc- missile was successfully fired late last year command and tion in global defense by the Indian navy. control capabilities tems, as well as integrated and embedded training capabilities, further improving the quality of training while reducing operat- Vaccinating Aircraft Against Cyber Attacks ing costs.” Weiss says. Addressing the growing cyber risks to civil ability on all levels. This means securing aviation, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is ground-based enterprise information and New Pax-to-Cargo Programs developing a cyber protection suite for com- operational systems at the infrastructure “In the civil market we see a rebound in mercial airlines and their fleets, which will be and fleet levels and employing conventional demand for the cargo conversion of pas- able to protect passenger aircraft from such cybersecurity means. However, protecting senger aircraft, particularly in the Boeing threats. individual aircraft requires specific work with 767, for which we have a strong order With the introduction of modern avionics, the manufacturers, airlines and regulatory book. I believe this trend will continue computerized onboard navigation and infor- authorities. in the near future, as a result of the cyclic mation, modern connectivity systems and “We are developing solutions based on market trend and reduction in fuel cost,” in-flight entertainment systems, commercial the cybersecurity and threat alert know-how Weiss says. “There is also a demand for airliners are becoming vulnerable to cyber developed for other cyber programs,” an narrowbody aircraft. We intend to serve attacks. Defeating those constantly evolving IAI official associated with the program told this market with a new conversion line for vulnerabilities is practically impossible, par- ShowNews. “These solutions implement pro- the B737NG-700, adding the -800 in the ticularly in complex and highly regulated sys- cessing and prediction analysis developed future. tems such as those of the aviation market. by Elta for radar and electronic warfare in “In the widebody segment we plan These threats have already targeted airports the past 40 years. We expect our solutions to to begin B777 cargo conversions in the and airlines, as well as individual aircraft. The mature for operational use next year. We are future. IAI is also expanding its activity in next steps could include demanding ransom already working with aircraft manufacturers heavy maintenance. for the release of a hijacked aircraft as a that expressed great interest in our capa- “And we recently entered a joint venture means of terror. bilities and will present the solution to civil with Linguyn Yichang to establish a main- IAI (Chalet CD03) is addressing this vulner- authorities as they mature.” —Noam Eshel tenance center for civil aircraft in China.” —Noam Eshel

42 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews

ISRAEL AT SINGAPORE Elbit Rides Wave of Growth in Asia-Pacific

hile many countries have presence in the region. Elbit has combined its cyber intelligence, security and reduced their defense “We are facing growing W surveillance systems. spending in recent years, others competition in areas where have increased it, particularly we have not encountered sig- in the fields of command, con- nificant competition in the trol, communications, comput- past,” Elbit CEO and presi- ing, intelligence, surveillance dent Bezhalel “Butzi” Machlis and reconnaissance (C4ISR). told ShowNews. “The growth The Asia-Pacific region is one in orders is indicating we of those growth markets that have played our cards right have become more competitive and positioned ourselves Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis than ever. To seize the oppor- optimally to benefit from the tunity and win over the fierce competi- changes in business activity and market tion there Elbit Systems has increased its demand. Among the significant changes was the creation of the ISTAR Division, merging the previous electro-optics and unmanned systems operations, creating Elbit Unveils Unmanned Seagull one of the world’s leading intelligence and ELBIT SYSTEMS (BOOTO H N65) is unveil- replacing and augmenting manned as- ISR operations. ing its latest unmanned system at the sets with minimal threat from subma- “Another important step was the for- Singapore Airshow: the Seagull – an rines,” Ben Dov added. “It empowers mation of our cyber-exclusive CyberBit autonomous, modular multi-mission a surface vessel or naval base com- operation, merging Elbit Systems’ cyber unmanned surface vessel (USV). The mander with off-board, available and intelligence operations with Nice Systems’ Seagull is based on a specially designed rapidly deployable anti-submarine cybersecurity and surveillance operations, 12-meter boat with replaceable mis- warfare (ASW) capabilities to protect creating a world-leading cybersecurity and sion modules, with two vessels capable critical sea areas and high-value assets intelligence operation focused on the grow- of being operated and controlled in from submarine as well as sea mine ing need for cyber operations expertise,” concert using a single mission control threats.” Machlis said. system (MCS), from manned ships or The Seagull features robust, modu- “The contracts we have signed this year from the shore. lar mission payload suites, selected to with customers are indicative of the diver- “The Seagull offers navies a true match a variety of required missions sified activities of our company – from force-multiplier in reducing risk, cost including electronic warfare, surface the supply of self-propelled artillery and and manpower requirements when force protection and hydrographical armored vehicles, to intelligence gathering performing missions that have only missions in addition to the core MCM systems relying on unmanned aerial sys- been performed to date by costly and ASW missions. Inherent C4I net- tems; self-protection systems for civilian manned assets,” said Ofer Ben Dov, working capability supports enhanced and military aircraft; command, control VP unmanned naval systems at Elbit’s situation awareness. and communications systems including Intelligence and ISR Division. The Seagull can remain at sea for tactical radios and soldier systems; and The USV provides unmanned over 96 hr. The highly autonomous more. These all indicate how well Elbit end-to-end mine hunting operation, and safe sailing suite includes a pat- Systems (Booth N65) can adapt to win a cus- taking the man out of the minefield. ented navigation system, with ob- tomer’s trust and choice.” The system supports online opera- stacle avoidance, which considers the “Our customers in Asia-Pacific have tion in known and unknown areas, international regulations for prevent- advanced, well-defined requirements for conducting area survey, search, ing collisions at sea. the state-of-the-art in technology as well detection, classification, identifica- as mature, fully developed and reliable sys- tion, neutralization and verification. tems,” Machlis added. “That’s where our The unmanned, highly wide solutions portfolio comes in.” It also provides mission planning autonomous Seagull can and is equipped to search the entire remain at sea for over 96 hr. According to Machlis, the system mod- water volume and operate underwater ernization activity is also in demand. “A vehicles to identify and neutralize main driver for our operations in Asia- mines. Pacific is the rapid transition of the mar- “The Seagull changes the dynam- ket, introducing opportunities for the ics of anti-submarine operations by acquisition of new systems as well as ret- creating a threat to submarines using rofits and upgrades – services and systems a cost-effective and available asset, we have been providing in this market for many years.” —Noam Eshel

44 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews April 5–7, 2016 Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, TX

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Jet Aviation is now one of the largest tenants at Seletar… Porter says the busi- “We don’t have enough ness aviation sector in parking space,” says Hawker Asia is going through Pacific’s Leong, adding that if a very difficult period this issue remains unresolved, and this is compounded it will end up driving busi- by the fact that many ness away. Asian currencies, such In Singapore, land is valu- as the Indonesian rupiah able. Industry executives say and Malaysian ringgit, the authorities have a policy of have depreciated greatly only allocating land at Seletar against the U.S. dollar. Aerospace Park to businesses He says businesspeople that demonstrate that the new whose wealth is derived facility will employ 100 people from commodities are the or more and that many of the most adversely affected. jobs will be highly skilled, high- But those businesspeople paying jobs. Building hangars Singapore Benefits with a more-diverse busi- at Seletar to park business jets ness portfolio, in other is less of a priority, as it gener- sectors of the economy, ates very few jobs, they say. From Business Aviation are less affected. But if there is nowhere to Porter also says the park your business jet, it puts Singapore has successfully positioned itself as a longer-term prospect for the a damper on Singapore’s efforts center for business aviation in the region, despite industry remains strong. And to remain a business aviation the fact that land is scarce in the city-state. the fact that there are so many center in the region. Some new models of aircraft com- business jet owners want to ingapore’s Seletar Aerospace aircraft. Bombardier Customer ing onto the market, such as park their aircraft in a hangar SPark, which caters to the Services VP for aircraft service the Gulfstream G650ER and because it helps protect it from business aviation sector, has centers Stan Younger says the Dassault Falcon 8X, will gener- the elements, such as tropical attracted some big-name ten- facility now employs 90 peo- ate excitement and interest in storms and salt in the air. ants, including Bombardier, ple and soon will have more the category, he adds. And the fact that Singapore Bell-Cessna, Flying Colours, than 100. While business aviation com- is a major business center in Hawker Pacific and Jet Aviation. Younger says Bombardier panies that ShowNews spoke the region means that busi- Singapore has achieved its chose Singapore because of its with were generally very posi- ness aviation traffic will con- status as a business aviation hub central location and its “busi- tive about what Singapore has tinue to increase. Changi because of its central geographic ness friendly” environment. achieved in the business avia- Airport Group, which manages location and the fact that it He says people generally like tion sector, the general consen- Changi and Seletar Airport, draws on business aviation cus- visiting Singapore and it has a sus is that more still needs to be says business aviation traffic tomers from the surrounding good reputation, so it is not too done at Seletar Aerospace Park. in Singapore has been achiev- countries, says Hawker Pacific difficult convincing customers A key issue holding back ing compound annual growth VP Asia Louis Leong. to send their aircraft there to be Seletar Aerospace Park is a lack of 14%. Leong says another advan- worked on. of parking space for aircraft. Bombardier forecasts that tage Singapore has is that many Richard Porter, ExecuJet Jurong Town Corp., which from 2015-2024 there will be of the engine and component business development manager is responsible for developing 875 business aviation aircraft makers have overhaul facilities for Asia, says business aircraft and managing Seletar, has delivered to Greater China, here. This helps MRO compa- are valuable assets that need increased the amount of park- 355 to the Asia-Pacific region nies such as Hawker Pacific to be properly managed and ing space available, but busi- (excluding Greater China and because rather than having maintained. He says where ness jet operators say it is still India) and 310 to South Asia, to send the engines or special an aircraft is maintained can insufficient. including India. components overseas to be impact its residual value. overhauled, the work can be The fact that Singapore ...growing from small beginnings 20 years ago. done in Singapore. This saves has a good reputation as a time and money. center for MRO helps, he At the 2014 Singapore says. Many aircraft own- Airshow, Bombardier offi- ers and financiers also like cially opened its MRO facil- to do aircraft transactions ity at Seletar, which sup- in Singapore because the ports the Challenger, Global city-state has a strong judi- Express and Learjet range of cial system.

46 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews See us at SINGAPORE AIR SHOW 2016 Israel Pavilion, Stand N-29 BUSINESS AVIATION Jet Aviation: Right Investment, Right Time

Since Jet Aviation’s The company has also mega-expansion at invested heavily in its FBO here and brought Singapore’s Seletar it up to the latest Jet Aerospace Park Aviation standard to meet two years ago, this its brand spec. “The FBO specialist, multi- is run by state-of-the-art systems and is operat- layered, business Jet Aviation’s hangars are full as more business jets arrive for maintenance. ing to the highest quality aviation service standards – like our MRO, company has seen the FBO area has gone up cover. The company currently a full interior refurbishment at another level as well,” added growth in all its areas employs 148 staff here. the moment. The new facility’s Riggir. of expertise. “Our first quarter projections FAA Certificated 420-sq.-meter Last September, Jet Aviation for 2016 show the highest level Interior Shop is outfitted with Singapore was granted Civil he multi-million-dollar of capacity [take-up] that we’ve state-of-the-art equipment for Aviation Administration of Tfacility, which was offi- ever had in a January, February upholstery, wood and veneer China (CAAC) Part 145 main- cially opened in May 2014, has and March time frame. Right finishing, and carpeting. The tenance facility approval. tripled the company’s footprint across the board, all our MRO facility also houses a 60-sq.- The designation expands here since it began operations activities, FBO and aircraft meter eco-friendly spray-paint- the company’s maintenance, at Seletar 20 years ago. “It’s parking have increased.” ing and buffing shop. repair and overhaul capa- proven to be exactly the right Jet Aviation (Booth S87) also “We don’t do cabin reconfigu- bilities to support Chinese investment at precisely the invested heavily in aircraft pas- rations, but we can do a com- operators of Bombardier and right time,” says Jet Aviation senger cabin interior refurbish- plete refurb and upgrade where Gulfstream aircraft. Singapore VP and general man- ments here at Seletar. required on entertainment “We are now able to access ager John Riggir. “All parts of “2015 was a hugely success- systems as well,” said Riggir. the Gulfstream market out of the business are doing well and ful year for the interior shop. “Doing the full Global interior China, which traditionally may all parts of the investment have We invested heavily in that in September of last year was a have meant aircraft flying to fulfilled the original vision.” area, forging a capability that big leap for us and shows cus- the U.S. or Europe for heavier Jet Aviation Singapore’s didn’t exist here before,” Riggir tomers that the capability is maintenance.” The Southeast MRO maintenance arm sur- said. Three significant refurb here.” There’s not much uptake Asia business jet fleet continues passed its goals last year and interiors have gone through on cabin entertainment sys- to grow with more used aircraft its parking hangar is full, with the shop already, including a tems right now, but he expects appearing in the marketplace a backlog of customers want- Global, a GV and a GIV, while demand to grow during the next as operators appreciate finding ing to park their aircraft under another Global is going through 12 months or so. bargains, and include Globals, GVs and G550s. Riggir says the number of aircraft based around Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia has grown in the last 12 months. Also proving popular here at Seletar is Jet Aviation’s innovative “compound” parking ramps where clients have controlled access to their aircraft, The Jet Aviation and Experia teams celebrate the handling agreement. close to the facility but not tech- nically “airside,” thereby reduc- Jet Aviation to Handle Demo Flights Here ing airport security procedures. Experia Events has appointed Jet Aviation Singa- John Riggir, VP and general manager at Jet Avia- Despite world economic pore as the exclusive handling agent for customer tion Singapore. “This appointment is testament uncertainties Riggir says demonstration flights at this year’s Airshow. The to our executive and VIP flight handling expertise, that he doesn’t see “massive demo fights will be conducted from Jet Aviation’s and we look forward to showcasing our services amounts of regional growth” home base at Seletar Airport. with operators, OEMs and trip support companies in the near future but rather, “We are honored to have been selected,” said planning to attend the event.” —Mike Vines “steady reliable growth, which is what we need.” —Mike Vines

48 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews ADVERTISEMENT

“JA2016” Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2016 Team at the Booth H91 - Singapore Airshow 2016.

The Society of Japanese Aerospace The SJAC was founded in 1952 and Page for your interest. Companies (SJAC) as the organizer has been maintaining and http://www.japanaerospace.jp/eng/in of the “JA2016” is participating in strengthening domestic aerospace dex.html the H91, Tokyo Metropolitan production and technological http://www.sjac.or.jp/en_index.html Government Booth. foundation as well as promoting If you are interested in exhibiting at international cooperation. The the JA2016, SJAC will be on hand to Over the years, Japanese companies society is a sole entity representing explain the upcoming JA2016 at have been steadily increasing the Japanese Aerospace Industry booth H91 in the Singapore Airshow amount of production of commercial comprising 134 member companies. 2016. aircraft by participating in the Please refer to the following Home international joint development program such as the Boeing 767 and Boeing 777. There has been increase in the production of Boeing 787, of which 35% is jointly developed with Japanese companies. In the field of regional aircraft, the development program of a next generation regional jet named “Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ)” has been proceeding and the first company’s flight was completed in November 11, 2015. More than 30 international vendors are involved in the MRJ program. With regards to engine projects, Japanese companies have participated in the international projects such as GEnx and Trent1000 for the Boeing 787. The next generation engine, PW1100G-JM, which will be installed into the Airbus A320neo has been working with the US and European companies.

JA2016 will be held at Tokyo as the center of politics and business of Japan in October 2016, and the venue is the Tokyo Big Sight. The past exhibitions were held every four years and the forthcoming JA2016 is hosted by SJAC through collaboration with Tokyo Big Sight Inc. The venue, Tokyo Big Sight, is the largest exhibition center in Japan and located in the heart of Tokyo. The forthcoming JA2016 will be the 14th event in the long history from 1966. This event is one of the great opportunities to access the activities of the Japanese aerospace industry once in four years. BUSINESS AVIATION Hawker Pacific’s Great 2015

n August 2015, Hawker Pacific acquired acquisition of Beechcraft in 2014 and IAeromil Pacific Pty. Ltd., which was one the ending of Hawker jet production it of Australia’s largest and most successful became imperative for Hawker Pacific’s privately owned and operated organiza- aircraft sales and product support growth tions specializing in new and pre-owned to be involved with a new jet line. The fact Cessna aircraft sales, MRO, aircraft that newly named Textron Aviation now management, charter services and pilot owned Beechcraft and Cessna jets was a training. match made in heaven for Hawker Pacific Through this and with the blessing of (through the Aeromil acquisition) as it was Textron Aviation, Hawker Pacific (Booth F75) already a world leader in sales and modi- has become the official Cessna sales and fication of Beech King Air models in the support, spares support and Asia-Pacific region. Authorized Citation Service “And with the [Cessna] jet Center for Australia, New line also comes that wonder- Zealand and New Guinea. This ful product called the Cessna has created a regional power- Caravan,” enthused Smith. house in the region for the com- “This means that we can now bined range of Textron aircraft offer a range of corporate jets, Hawker Pacific is adding Cessna to its Dassault families — Cessna, Beechcraft through the King Air range and Beechcraft MRO authorizations. and Bell Helicopter all under Alan and Caravan right down to Hawker Pacific’s headquarters at one roof. Smith the smaller piston types. That Sydney’s Bankstown Airport already has Hawker Pacific already strategic direction was in the Dassault Falcon and Beechcraft Service had significant involvement with Bell making for something like three years.” Centers; now after the acquisition it also Helicopter as it holds franchises for the Given Hawker Pacific’s expertise in mili- has Aeromil’s Cessna Authorized Service UAE, Australia and New Zealand as well tarizing and medicalizing most models of Center on the same field. “There are a lot as offering extensive product support in the Beech King Air, one can only surmise of synergies between the two companies Manila, Philippines. what lies in store for the ubiquitous Grand and we are approaching this very, very Hawker Pacific CEO Alan Smith Caravan in the hands of Hawker Pacific’s carefully, making sure we can get the best explained that the Aeromil buyout was extensive engineering design departments. efficiencies in terms of personnel and sys- a vital strategic move for his company “The integration [of Aeromil] is ongoing tems. At this particular time we’re joining as it had been a Beechcraft and Hawker with our objective to gain the most efficient their [Aeromil’s] spares, accounting and Beechcraft representative since its incep- and best value structure post-acquisition,” maintenance into our overriding enter- tion in 1978. But because of Textron’s said Smith. prise system,” added Smith. —Mike Vines

“We should have made it bigger,” says Hawker Pacific CEO Alan Smith. by double-digit percentage Hawker Pacific’s points again in 2015.” The Star Performers operation is “significantly profitable to the joint venture” The investment Hawker Pacific and the Airport Authority has (Booth F75) made in its business approved the construction of a aviation FBO/MRO facility at second hangar, which primarily Seletar Aerospace Park four will be used for aircraft parking. years ago is now paying huge The joint venture also han- dividends. “We have a very dles business jets at Shanghai’s full service center and have an massive Pudong International outlook for heavy maintenance Airport (with a fifth run- on Falcons and Embraers that Asian business.” jet market, and we’re seeing way being added), but Smith reaches out through the next Business is also good at its year-on-year growth in aircraft expects the next step there two to three years,” said Hawker joint venture FBO/MRO with movements, which is quite sur- will be an FBO to meet grow- Pacific CEO Alan Smith. “Our the Shanghai Airport Authority prising,” said Smith. “There has ing demand. It is currently in problem with the new facility at Hongqiao International been a net outgoing of aircraft the initial strategic planning is that possibly we should have Airport. “This is despite the since the government’s auster- stages and could be included made it bigger. It really is pro- correction in aircraft owner- ity campaign, but despite that in the next five-year plan by the ducing and is a real uplift to our ship in the Chinese business we’ve seen movements lifting Airport Authority. —Mike Vines

50 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews Intelligence and Data Solutions

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Find out more about Learn more at Chalet CS40 Aviation Week Network’s Intelligence and Data Solutions, If you don’t have time to connect with us and how we can help you grow during the show, contact us at: your business and generate pages.aviationweek.com/SingaporeSN or call +1.847.763.9147 or 866.857.0148 revenue. NEW FROM ST AERO

ST Aero’s New UAV Can Go Underwater

T Aerospace will be display- Sing at the show, for the first time, an unmanned hybrid vehicle IV on (UHV) that can fly as well display as go under the surface of the ST Aero’s at the show. water and float on water. unmanned hybrid This UAV has 6-12 The yet-to-be-named UHV vehicle can also hr. endurance, far looks like a flying delta wing, plunge below the more than Skyblade III, depths. says Milly Tay, ST Aero senior which is marketed as having VP engineering and develop- endurance of more than 60 ment center. She says the UHV min. Skyblade IV is a much can go about 5 meters underwa- larger vehicle with a maximum ter and can be fitted with video demonstrating takeoff weight (MTOW) of 70 cameras and other sensors. how its USTAR UAV kg compared to Skyblade III, She says it is the first can communicate with unmanned vehicle in Asia- and work in tandem with USTAR is a vertical takeoff Pacific that can fly as well as an unmanned land vehicle. and landing UAV that ST operate on and under the sur- Tay says the demonstration Aero has developed. face of the sea. It weighs about wanted to focus will take place each day at its “23-25 kg depending on what on a UAV concept that stand in the main exhibition you carry.” In order to operate was different from other UAVs hall. USTAR is a vertical take- which has an MTOW of 5 kg. the UHV remotely, one needs in the market and that could off and landing UAV that ST In addition, ST Aero will have to have “line of sight,” she adds. shake up the market, says Tay. Aero has developed. Skyblade 360 on display. This The reason ST Aero devel- At the Singapore Airshow, In addition, ST Aero will is a UAV that has an MTOW of oped such a UAV was because it ST Aero (Booth G01) will also be have the fixed-wing Skyblade 9 kg and endurance of 3-6 hr.

plastics, composites and titanium, but for ST Aero Unveils Its New Aircraft Seats our first product we have gone with mature technology and used traditional materi- ST Aerospace (Booth G01) will be unveiling als, because the feedback we received from its new economy-class passenger seats at airlines was that they were a little bit hesi- this year’s Singapore Airshow. tant about taking on some of those new These are the first seats made under ST materials.” Aero’s new joint venture with Japanese She says the seats, which were designed seat-maker Tenryu Holdings. ST Aero in Singapore, are “pretty light weight and Aircraft Seats, which was formed in March can be classed as slim-line but can’t be 2015 and is 90% owned by ST Aero and too slim-line because they are designed 10% by Tenryu, is headed by general man- for long-haul operators and have to be very ager Kham Joon Wui. comfortable.” ST Aero moved into this market because The seats on display at the show feature it was a natural extension for its cabin inte- the Thales new-generation fit monitor, rior configuration business, says Kham, says Kham. adding that the company has positioned Kham says ST Aero has completed itself as a “one-stop shop” for any airline ST Aero’s lightweight alloy seats on show here feature engineering tests on the seats and is now wanting to do an aircraft interior recon- the Thales new-generation fit monitor. working with the Civil Aviation Authority figuration. “We do the program manage- North America, but these players don’t offer of Singapore (CAAS) to get them certified. ment, design and certification; we build the full suite of services that ST Aero offers. She anticipates that Singapore certification the interior and we install it. We offer a ST Aero’s aircraft seats are made of a will be achieved in mid-2016, after which complete offering,” she says. lightweight aluminum alloy structure and they will work to get the FAA and EASA to Kham says there are many players mak- are offered with a choice of fabric or leather validate the Singapore certification, so the ing commercial airline passenger seats, seat covers. “There are new materials being seats then can be installed on commercial most of which are based either in Europe or introduced into the seat market such as aircraft.

52 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews Visit us at See the stand No. H39 smaller picture Airbus Standard Parts

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The world’s leading turboprop manufacturer saw a bumper year in 2015. But with softening markets in Asia and Latin America, and fuel prices hovering at around US$30 per barrel, Franco- Italian join venture ATR is eyeing new opportunities.

ow oil prices, sluggish growth in Asia Despite slowing economic growth in Land a strong dollar pitted against flag- Asia, ATR is pursuing new opportunities ging currencies in emerging markets has in Japan, India, Iran and the U.S. It also Franco-Italian turboprop manufacturer hopes that the opening of a sales office in ATR looking to Japan, India, Iran and the China will break its order famine there. U.S. for new business. China currently has no ATR airliners in In January, the joint venture of Airbus operation. Group and Finmeccanica reported record ATR is benefiting from “the full support turnover of US$2 billion and deliveries of Airbus” in China, de Castelbajac says. of 88 short-haul aircraft in 2015, though “We will start small but hope we will demand for the fuel-efficient turboprops grow big in China,” he says, where regional fell below expectations. aircraft make up only a small percentage ATR CEO Patrick de Castelbajac of the country’s commercial aviation sector. “To continue Two New ATR Variants growth, they need regional airlines. We’ll be there.” Score in Asia-Pacific ATR broke into the Japanese market in 2015 ATR last year obtained certifications for with the sale of eight ATR two new configurations of the 72-600, 42-600 aircraft to Japan including the so-called “high-density” Airlines, plus 15 options, a cabin that raises capacity to 78 seats deal the company says is just from 74, a feature ATR CEO Patrick de the beginning in a country Castelbajac says should appeal to cus- with many islands and iso- tomers in Asia. lated cities, and an aging fleet Philippines-based Cebu Pacific ordered of regional aircraft. 16 ATR 72-600s last year, with 10 options, and Papua New Guinea’s PNG Air Cebu Pacific is the first to order the “Today one-third of the high-density 78-passenger ATR 72-600. routes are below 300 nm, our launched the new “Cargo Flex” cabin that sweet spot,” he said. “We can reduces passenger seats from 72 to 44 seriously grow in Japan.” but doubles cargo capability to nearly 20 For years, Toulouse-based ATR benefited ATR leads the regional aircraft segment cu. meters. from a climb in oil prices that reached over with a 37% share of the market for aircraft PNG Air has so far ordered two of the $100 a barrel in 2014, raising the compa- under 90 seats, and 77% of the turboprop Cargo Flex combi kits for 72-600s. It has ny’s firm orders to a record 160 that year. market since 2010. In 2015 it added 12 one of these aircraft in itws fleet already, But with crude now hovering below $30 a new operators for its new -600 series, tak- with another six scheduled for delivery by barrel, and with sluggish growth in Asia ing it past the milestone of 200 operators the end of 2017. and Latin America, ATR saw firm orders in nearly 100 countries. The carrier plans to begin using the halved last year to just 76 aircraft. The manufacturer begins 2016 with a combi kits this month, after the peak pas- “When fuel goes down 70%, it doesn’t nearly three-year backlog of 260 aircraft senger season. The kits will boost cargo help,” ATR CEO Patrick de Castelbajac valued at US$6.6 billion, down from 280 capacity on the aircraft by 82%, while re- said last month. But while he admits the aircraft and US$6.8 billion in backlog a ducing passenger numbers from 72 to 44. company’s competitive advantage has year ago. de Castelbajac says ATR is now PNG Air believes the combi version is been weakened, de Castelbajac says ATR targeting 80 aircraft deliveries by the end a good fit for its many destinations that has more to offer than a massive fuel-burn of this year, and 100 new orders. have little ground access or are on islands. advantage, such as a 99.66% dispatch reli- However, he says development of a long- While these communities are reliant on ability, the lowest trip and seat costs in its discussed 90-seat aircraft has been shelved. air freight, they do not have the cargo de- segment “and the lowest break-even, which “It will make sense at some point in time mand for a full freighter service and have means people can explore new routes with to get to a larger aircraft. But again, today significant seasonal variation. the aircraft, with reasonably low risk.” there are no plans.” —Amy Svitak

54 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews

MRO Asia Is Central to Airbus’ Aftermarket Strategy

Airbus has made a big push into the aftermarket with its flight hour of a repair job and at the end. services contracts and total maintenance support packages. It has had Having the facility in the region, rather than in Europe, the most success in signing airlines to these programs in Asia. is a huge travel cost saving for Asian airlines, says Brasch. ore than 90% of the for the A320, A330 and A340 Sepang Aircraft Engineering, Airbus is moving tooling to Maircraft covered under programs. The parts covered which serves airlines across the Triumph’s facility in Bangkok, Airbus’ Flight Hour Services “under the long-term contract” region such as AirAsia. says Brasch. Aviation Week (FHS) and total support pack- include rudders, elevators, As for Triumph Aviation understands that some of the ages globally are based in Asia, wing sharklets, flaps, slats and Services Asia’s contract win, tooling, such as jigs, will be says Valerie Manning, Airbus other structures subcontracted the company’s aftermarket made in Asia to Airbus specifi- SVP customer support. by Airbus, “or received directly group president in Asia, John cations. The fact that such tool- There are three key reasons from Asia-Pacific customers Brasch, says there are some ing is manufactured in region for this. Asia is a large market based on a collaborative mar- very simple reasons for why the means it can be more easily that is enjoying faster rates of keting model,” it says. growth than other markets. Manning, who was one of There also are many start-up or the Airbus executives respon- small carriers in Asia that pre- sible for awarding the con- fer to outsource aircraft main- tract to Triumph, says there tenance rather than devote the were several companies in time and money to develop an Asia vying for the work. in-house capability. She declines to explain However, very large, estab- in detail why Triumph won lished airlines in Asia are also the contract but says, “We subscribing to these services as know Triumph. We work they add new aircraft types to with them in the U.S. They their fleet. They prefer to sign- do aerostructures work in up for an FHS program rather the U.S so, for example, than establish an extensive in- they have been doing shark- house repair capability for new let retrofits there. They also models. provide modification and Some of the aircraft parts retrofit work for the outer covered under FHS and main- wing-box.” Tigerair Singapore signed a 10-year Flight Hour Services – Tailored Support Package tenance total support packages As to why Airbus chose (FHS-TSP) contract with Airbus to provide full component support and fleet technical are quite large, such as eleva- Thailand, Manning says: management services for its Airbus A320-family aircraft. tors. Airbus, being a European- “We knew we needed to headquartered company, diversify because we know a work is going to Asia. maintained in the region, too. has the capability to repair high percentage of the custom- It is more efficient to keep the Brasch says some Triumph large parts in Hamburg and ers are in Asia, so we need to do MRO work in region because the personnel are going to Europe Toulouse, which is what it has the work in Asia.” cost of shipping such large air- to learn about Airbus’ method- been doing. She stresses there is more craft parts from Asia to Europe ologies and some Airbus people But with so many of the cus- to Airbus’ Asia repair strat- is very high, says Brasch, add- are coming to Triumph’s facil- tomers now in Asia, Airbus egy than just Triumph. For ing that it is also important for ity to conduct training. (Chalet CD19) has been working instance, she points out that Airbus to have an approved Triumph has 170 employees to find MRO partners in the Airbus has a major repair team facility in Asia as part of its cus- at its Bangkok facility, and the region that can repair parts in stationed in Kuala Lumpur tomer support network. size of its workforce will increase accordance with its standards who service the region. There are some other prac- as a result of the Airbus contract. and methodologies. Manning also says material tical benefits for airlines. “It But Brasch declines to say by The latest Asian MRO services for the region comes means conference calls, to how much. “It depends on the partner is Triumph Aviation from its wholly owned sub- discuss repair jobs, can be ebb and flow of the work,” he Services Asia based in Bangkok. sidiary Satair in Singapore scheduled for Asian rather says, confirming that they have Triumph says it has secured (Booth H39). than European times,” says already secured some large work a contract from Airbus to Airbus also operates an air- Brasch. In addition, it’s easier packages from Asian carriers inspect, test, repair and mod- frame heavy maintenance for airline personnel to visit an under the new agreement with ify Airbus proprietary parts facility in Kuala Lumpur called MRO facility at the beginning Airbus. —Leithen Francis

56 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews Synergies for success: four days of ILA Berlin Air Show

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Hosted by MRO Rolls-Royce Unveils New Aftermarket Service

nveiled on Jan. 13, Rolls-Royce is 1999 on the Trent 800-powered 777- Upitching SelectCare as an additional 200 fleet, will be the first carrier to use Rolls Finds a services option to its comprehensive the SelectCare offering after signing a new TotalCare offering and the more basic contract in place of previous TotalCare Singapore Advantage MRO Services package. and MRO Services agreements. The Rolls-Royce’s Singapore Customer Citing customer demand for greater flex- agreement will cover the RB211-535 Service Center, located near Seletar ibility in deciding maintenance costs as a engines powering AA’s fleet of 59 757-200 Airport, was set up in February 2015 to key factor in introducing a third aftermar- aircraft, among the oldest in the carrier’s oversee more than 20 airline customers ket option, Rolls-Royce says SelectCare will fleet with an average age of just less than in the Asia-Pacific region. The company allow customers to have a set number of 19 years. claims the CSC has so far accounted for overhauls at a fixed price while also allow- a 65% reduction in time taken to address ing them access to certain service options More Customer Service Centers regional customer issues previously over- available with TotalCare. The unveiling of SelectCare was among seen from the UK. “What Rolls-Royce has effectively done a series of reveals by Rolls-Royce that Alex Dulewicz, head of services market- is come up with something that fills the included a raft of changes, including the ing, says the Singapore CSC has enabled two extremes in its services portfolio, formation of new customer service centers Rolls-Royce to make quicker decisions between TotalCare on the one hand and and a revamp of its Trent service network locally, with its fleet planning and delivery MRO Services on the other,” says Richard and joint ventures. services teams able to manage the avail- Goodhead, SVP of customer strategy and Citing a threefold increase in projected ability of everything from engines to line marketing in Rolls-Royce’s civil engines MRO load in the next 15 years as well as replacement units and components. division. a desire to make its business model more “If an operator makes a decision to pay competitive, Rolls-Royce will remove previ- for services by engine event rather than ously imposed geographic territorial rights, Engine Services Ltd. (HAESL) and by engine hour, there’s a chance they still meaning its approved maintenance cen- Singapore Aero Engine Services (SAESL) may want to have some form of on-wing ters (AMC) will now have to bid for engine along with the dissolution of its U.S.-based cost predictability.” overhaul work. JV Texas Aero Engine Services (TAESL). Rather fittingly, American Airlines, Other changes include removing the First announced in September 2015, TotalCare’s first airline customer in cross shareholding of Hong Kong Aero citing reductions in demand and lack of future growth opportunities, Rolls-Royce confirmed TAESL had entered a “shut- down period” at the beginning of 2016. Delta TechOps, which joined the Trent services network last October, also will operate as the first AMC in which Rolls- Royce holds no equity. Further overhauling its MRO services network, Rolls confirmed the opening of CSC stations in three new locations nearly one year after it had “tested the waters” by trialling its Singapore CSC to oversee Asia-Pacific. Given the sharp rise in its installed engine count, predicted to rise from its 2015 level of 4,600 engines to 7,450 by 2025, Rolls-Royce acknowledged difficul- ties in working with higher volumes across multiple time zones as a driver behind the Engine-Maker Boosts Fuel Efficiency at Singapore CSC expansion. Rolls-Royce (Booth N23) last June signed a five-year contract with Singapore Airlines to extend its Having started operating on Jan. 4, the TotalCare MRO package to include the fuel consumption Efficiency Service Solution across its entire Derby CSC will cover Europe, Middle East fleet of 137 aircraft, including SilkAir, Singapore Airlines Cargo and low-cost carrier Scoot. The program and Africa. Washington, D.C. will be the will use “big-data” analytics to compare flight data against predictions to maximize fuel efficiency. service hub for the Americas region, and a Singapore Airlines and its subsidiaries have Airbus A330, A350 and A380 aircraft as well as Boeing 777 and 787s in service or on order powered by Rolls-Royce Trent engines. Beijing center will oversee Greater China. —James Pozzi

58 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews

DEFENSE: SINGAPORE F-35s for Singapore? Don’t Hold Your Breath

As its Airshow dawns, Singapore’s aviation estimated cost of $251 million. ahead of the show. The prime contractor for that is Other programs are also defense priorities remain centered around two Raytheon. in play. Singapore is a tar- major programs. With F-35, the picture get market for new maritime remains exactly as it was two patrol aircraft (MPA): Israel he island nation is com- considering the BAE option, as years ago. Singapore joined the Aerospace Industries (IAI)- Tmitted to procuring F-35 well as weighing the alternative program as a security coopera- Elta, with MPAs based on fighters, but despite a long and proposal offered by airframer tion participant in 2003, at the two Bombardier projects – the deep involvement in the mul- Lockheed Martin. same time and status as Israel. Q400 and the Global 5000 – is tinational program, it active in the region has yet to confirm an and “in discussions order. Meanwhile, the with several custom- nation has received ers” about the latter. approval from the U.S. “Besides the Boeing Congress to procure P-8A, it is the most an extensive upgrade capable MPA on to 60 of its F-16s. the market,” an IAI- Readers with unfea- Elta executive says. sibly long memories IAI is working with may recognize the General Dynamics paragraph above. Canada to integrate It’s how ShowNews a GD acoustic sys- opened our piece on tem into its small Singapore’s defense MPAs, which would priorities at the last also have a Harris Singapore lists itself among the edition of the Show in F-35 partner nations. sonobuoy handling 2014. Quite why we’re and launch system. still saying exactly the Airbus Defense and same thing 24 months later is Last May, the DSCA Despite the latter’s ATR have also targeted Asian an intriguing question. announced the approval of a procurement being a customers. The easier part to answer is to supplementary slate of F-16 far-from-smooth process – The nation is also moving do with the F-16 fleet-upgrade upgrades to Singapore, contain- Israel’s F-35s have a number quickly ahead with its Littoral program, which was delayed by ing “additional requirements of unique subsystems – the first Mission Vessel (LMV), with developments elsewhere in the not previously identified” in Israeli jet is in production in the first of eight 1,250-ton, all- region. the 2014 notification. These Fort Worth, Texas. Singapore diesel ships due for delivery in Toward the end of 2014, included 50 helmet-mounted is still to confirm an order, or 2016 and commissioning in South Korea canceled its F-16 cueing systems, 90 advanced even to announce its preferred 2017, and all eight in service by upgrade contract with BAE IFF transponders, and various F-35 variant. 2020. Jointly designed by Saab Systems, after the U.S. govern- weapon kits and inert muni- Speculation persists that a Kockums and ST Marine, the ment insisted that sensitivities tions. The value of that pro- mixed buy of A and B models LMVs are highly automated, around particular technologies posed sale came to $130 mil- could suit Singapore, with its designed for a basic crew of 23, meant the contract could not lion and the lead contractor was several short runways and the and more heavily armed than be treated as a direct commer- listed as Lockheed Martin. possibility of operation from the U.S. Littoral Combat Ship. cial sale and had to go through Sixty of Singapore’s F-16s converted helicopter carrier Primary armament comprises the FMS (foreign military sales) will be retrofitted with vessels. But the Republic clearly an Oto Melara Super Rapid process. This added costs to Northrop Grumman APG-83 remains in no rush to commit. 76mm gun and MBDA Mica the contract. Singapore had scalable agile beam radars, Nor is Lockheed aggressively surface-to-air and antimissile received U.S. approval for an new mission computers and marketing the sale: Although system with 12 launch cells. F-16 upgrade program val- improved displays, and the pro- an F-35 mockup and cockpit The ships have a large heli- ued at $2.4 billion in January gram is on track for completion simulator will be on view at the copter deck, dock for rigid-hull 2014, and as the Defense in 2023. The nation has also Airshow, Singapore is not listed inflatable boats or the Protector Security Cooperation Agency requested, and had approved, on the official F-35 program unmanned surface vessel, and notification to Congress did not a five-year extension to its F-16 website as an international mission modules for tasks rang- specify a lead contractor, it was pilot training program at Luke participant, and Lockheed staff ing from mine warfare to disas- likely that they, too, had been Air Force Base, Arizona, at an were not available for interview ter relief. —Angus Batey

60 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews DEFENSE: CHINA China’s Defense Prepares for Overhaul

At China’s biggest military parade of recent times last Sept. 3, marking the end of World War II, Chinese President and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) leader Xi Jinping announced that the PLA will shed 300,000 troops, signaling the start of a long-awaited structural reform of the world’s largest armed force.

hile China’s state media reported PLA reforms will allow more resources to the Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter, expected WChina would reduce active troop be devoted to new power-projection plat- to enter service in 2017-18, with four more levels to 2 million, other Chinese sources forms and new-technology weapons. A pre-production aircraft having flown in indicate the army could lose more than second aircraft carrier is reportedly under the past year for a total of eight flight-test 300,000 people. China’s air force, navy construction in the port of Dalian, and a assets. Fourth-generation Chengdu J-10B and strategic rocket forces would expand, third may be taking shape in a Shanghai and Shenyang J-11D and J-16 fighters will and a fifth branch dedicated to space oper- shipyard. The first nuclear-powered air- continue testing toward near-term produc- ations could be formed. craft carrier may be under development, tion. A new strategic bomber, the Xian Other reported reforms could include a and construction may soon start on the H-20, will also continue development, and reduction from seven military regions to 10,000+ ton Type 055 escort cruiser, a unique twin-fuselage UAV, the Shenyang four theater commands, oriented toward China’s largest non-carrier surface combat- Divine Eagle, was seen undergoing tests potential areas of operations: Japan- ant. Submarine production is shifting from in May 2015. Korea; Taiwan-South China Sea; India; the Type 093 nuclear attack submarine to The September military parade also and Russia. Advances in “informatization” the third-generation Type 095. And the pointed toward China’s continuing effort would allow for “flatter” theater commands that would then deploy newly reformed, smaller but higher-firepower brigades and better-integrated combined-arms forma- tions. China’s largely ceremonial defense ministry could gain real power, taking over current PLA departments that deal with ideology and weapons development and production. An increasingly mechanized The Chengdu J-10B, a highly People’s Armed Police may become a new modernized version of the J-10 national guard, focused on fighting inter- fighter with a new inlet design and active electronically scanned array nal rebellion in Xinjiang and Tibet. radar, is now entering service. But the most important effect of such reforms, if implemented, would be to greatly increase the PLA’s ability to project navy’s marine corps could be expanded to to build new missile capabilities. For the power abroad. China’s May 2015 defense a third brigade. first time, China displayed its DF-5B white paper for the first time lists as a Airborne power projection should be silo-launched ballistic missile, designed major mission the requirement “to partici- enabled by a wholesale reorganization to carry multiple independently targeted pate in regional and international security of China’s aero-engine sector, intended reentry vehicles (Mirv). This could soon cooperation and maintain regional and to accelerate progress – which has been be joined by the mobile “Mirved” DF-41 world peace.” On Sept. 28, Xi Jinping slow until now – toward new, large high- intercontinental missile. New theater sys- announced that China would devote 8,000 bypass-ratio turbofans. This could allow tems include the 4,000-km-range (2,500- troops to future United Nations peacekeep- mass production of the Xian Y-20 airlifter mi.) DF-26, which has a version with an ing operations. and proposed widebody airliner, the C929, antiship ballistic missile (ASBM) warhead, The reforms are seen as more significant that could be developed into a tanker. plus the first display of the 1,500-km-range than continuing growth in the defense bud- Airborne brigades may soon be receiving DF-21D ASBM. get, both in absolute terms and as a share a second generation of airborne mecha- A new space-operations division will of GDP. In 2015, official military spend- nized fighting vehicles and new mobile/ pose organizational challenges for the ing saw a 10.1% increase to 886.9 billion air-droppable artillery. The army will likely PLA, but by 2030, the 138-satellite Jilin yuan (US$141.5 billion). While less than increase the number of medium-weight constellation may provide 10-min. revisit the 12.1% growth in 2014, it was still a wheeled tanks, self-propelled guns, air rates. Its antisatellite (ASAT) capabilities double-digit increase. For political impact, defense systems and infantry fighting will grow with the new class of mobile or in 2016 it can be expected that China will vehicles that can be easily transported by movable small satellite launchers such as increase official military spending another the Y-20. the Kuaizhou, Long March 6 and Long 10% to about 975.59 billion yuan. The air force continues to progress with March 11. —Richard D. Fisher Jr.

AviationWeek.com/ShowNews | February 16, 2016 61 DEFENSE: JAPAN Japan’s Defense Exports Take Off…Slowly ince the last edition of the Singapore propulsion system permitting the boat to progress toward foreign sales is slow. The SAirshow, there is arguably no nation in remain submerged for extended periods. search-and-rescue platform has been the region whose defense industry has seen Factors the Australian customer has to linked with a sale to India since shortly as much significant change as Japan. This weigh will include workshare, which will after Japan re-entered the export market- has been driven by one decision, taken in raise questions for the suppliers and the place. The deal has still not been done, April 2014: A reinterpretation of the coun- Japanese government over sovereignty of though preliminary paperwork dealing try’s constitution by the government led elements of the technology. Japan has been with transfer of technology and sovereignty by Shinzo Abe has permitted the nation’s invited to bid for part of India’s six-strong of classified information was signed during defense industry to export its wares for new nuclear submarine requirement, a visit to Tokyo by Indian prime minister the first time in over 50 years. Progress, announced last year, but a condition of any Nadendra Modi in December. A week later, though, has not come overnight. contract would be that construction takes Indonesian defense officials visiting Tokyo There are a number of reasons why place in India. There would be a striking also agreed to start discussions on a sale of Japanese military equipment has not irony should Australia opt for the Japanese the aircraft to Jakarta. joined consumer electronics as a world- bid: Soryu was the name of the aircraft The destinations of these proposed leading export success story. Some are carrier that launched the 1943 attack on exports are perhaps telling. Japanese structural and institutional, others are Darwin, which remains the largest assault equipment will have quality and specifi- economic, while some may be cultural on Australia ever carried out by a foreign cations that enable it to compete on perfor- or political. All can be overcome, but, as nation. mance terms with European and American Japanese defense exporters are finding out, The proactivity over the Collins-class products, but the contract opportunities a national military sales strategy involves contract shows that the Japanese defense may well be with nations for whom price is a lot more than hanging an “Open for Business” sign on the front door. The sustainability of Japan’s previous Kawasaki’s P-1 has been proposed for the UK’s export policy was always going to prove maritime patrol aircraft requirement. problematic as globalization and length- ening supply chains called the nature of truly sovereign or indigenous products into doubt. The first exportport sasalele ffollowingollowing the April 2014 reinterpretationpretation was not made by a Japanese companyompany butbut by the U.S. government:nt: Japan had to grant permissionn for Raytheon’s SM-3 Blockk IIA ballistic missile interceptor technologyy to be exported, becausee the program is a collaborative one between Japan and the U.S. A Japanese FACO (final assembly and check- out) facility for the F-35 program is due to produce its first jet later this year, and will industry is capable of quickly getting up the most compelling factor. This will mean become a maintenance hub for Joint Strike to speed with current defense marketing Japan’s exports going up against Russian Fighters in the northern Pacific region. In and PR techniques. Although the overtures or Chinese competitors. programs like these, it is clear Japan was were ultimately unsuccessful, a similarly Japan continues to import defense on course to provide defense services to full-throttle approach saw the Kawasaki equipment, most notably from the U.S. other nations long before the Abe govern- P-1 touted as a potential solution to the A proposed US$1.2 billion sale of three ment’s announcement. UK’s maritime patrol aircraft requirement. Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Block 30 Global A Japanese bid is one of three being Two of the jets were flown to the UK and Hawk unmanned aircraft and associated assessed by Australia as the country looks appeared in both static and flying displays equipment was approved in November, to procure a successor to its fleet of Collins- at the Royal International Air Tattoo last with export of four of the same compa- class submarines. There is no doubting summer. The X-2 fighter program is still ny’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne the quality of the Japanese design, with at least a decade away from a production- early warning and control aircraft and 17 the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries/Kawasaki ized aircraft. Boeing V-22B Block C Osprey tiltrotor air- Shipbuilding Corp. Soryu-class design Another aircraft faring better in export craft approved last summer. featuring an innovative air-independent is the ShinMaywa US-2 seaplane, though —Angus Batey

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Submarines Dominate Australian Defense Plans

With troops deployed in the fight against Daesh in Iraq and troubled defense programs back on track. There are currently six projects on the Syria, the JSF program ramping up, and a heavy involvement in list, the longest-standing of which (it has the two-year search for missing Malaysian Airlines Flight been included since the list’s inception) MH 370, Australia’s defense priorities appear self-evident. is sustaining the existing Collins-class submarines. The other programs under et 2016 looks set to be dominated by The political implications of the deci- the microscope include the AUS$4 billion Yanother defense procurement pro- sion are immense. Each bid team is cur- MRH90 helicopter for the army and navy, gram, the largest in Australian history. rently fighting a PR offensive to promote which is five years behind schedule, and The replacement of Australia’s Collins- their solution as the best means of secur- the air warfare destroyer program, worth class submarine fleet is turning into a polit- ing Australian jobs. Just as delicate is the AUS$8 billion and running between one ical story almost as big as its anticipated balance decision-makers need to keep and two years late. budget. Estimates of the cost of the pro- between domestic and foreign policy goals. Another ambitious replacement program gram have varied wildly since the replace- During 2014, before the decision was is running to replace the Royal Australian ment boats were first mooted in 2007. In taken to hold a competitive process, the Air Force’s P-3 Orion maritime patrol 2010, the price of the Future Submarine then government appeared to be favoring fleet. The project, called Air 7000, has two Program was estimated as likely to exceed the Japanese option. Critics claimed such phases: Phase 1B comprises a fleet of up AUS$10 billion (US$7 billion); in 2014, the Australian government claimed – to RAAF Wedgetails achieved final operational capability in May 2015. the evident dismay of Australian shipbuilders – that the total could be as high as AUS$80 billion. The program is currently in an evaluation phase, with the Defense Department due to report back soon on three competitive tenders. The bids have come from French, German and Japanese consortia, with each based around a development of an existing submarine type. Crucially – and to the at least partial relief of those Australian shipbuilders – each bid includes promises of work for Australian yards. Australia’s submarine requirement effectively makes an off-the-shelf buy of an existing design impossible. The island- continent’s position means its submarines a decision would threaten Australian busi- to seven Northrop Grumman MQ-4 Triton require considerable range; but its lack of ness exports – the nation’s largest customer unmanned aircraft for wide-area maritime an indigenous nuclear industry, coupled is China, and collaboration on a program surveillance, while phase 2B will be a fleet with public sentiment being strongly anti- of this magnitude could damage Canberra- (numbering eight airframes initially, with nuclear, rules out nuclear-powered vessels. Beijing relations. Once the newly elected an option for a further four) of Boeing P-8A Diesel-electric variants of nuclear-powered government of Malcolm Turnbull pledged Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. A pro- designs would need to be bigger, to allow for to hold a competition and narrowed the curement schedule for the Triton is due to increased space for batteries and extra fuel. field down to three (a fourth consortium be published in the Defense white paper The French proposal, from DCNS and led by Saab was eliminated from the com- later this year. Thales, is for a conventionally powered petition), opponents of the process argued One program that had been on the version of its Barracuda-class nuclear boat that the procurement mitigated against Projects of Concern list was the E-7A currently being built for the French Navy. Australia ending up with the best solution, Wedgetail airborne early warning and The German team – led by ThyssenKrupp because each team would have insufficient control system. The much-delayed jets Marine Services – has devised the new time to design boats to meet the exacting achieved final operating capability in Type 216 design, a diesel-electric version requirement. May, having carried out their first opera- of the nuclear-powered Type 214 in service In 2008, the Australian government tional mission during the hunt for MH370 with the navies of Portugal, Greece and inaugurated the Projects of Concern List, in 2014 and, in January 2015, flying an South Korea. The Japanese bid is based which it updates annually. The purpose unprecedented 16-hr. combat mission over around a Soryu-class boat, extended by of the list was to attempt to focus defense Iraq. between six and eight meters. ministry and industry attention to help put —Angus Batey

64 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews 2116

2016

1916

ItIt hashas alwaysalways beenbeen aboutabout thethe future.future. In 2016, the Aviation Week Network celebrates Aviation Week & Space Technology’s centennial milestone. Join us as we look at how the past century has shaped the future of aerospace. Attend events, read archived issues, and relive milestones in aviation and aerospace from the past 100 years. Explore the Digital Archive: Every issue. Every article. Every ad. archive.aviationweek.com Follow our Centennial Coverage: aviationweek.com/100 Advertising and Custom Sponsorships: Iain Blackhall • Managing Director, Global Media +44 207 152 4495 • [email protected] DEFENSE: SOUTH KOREA

Korea’s KF-X will have to make do without latest technology Korea Launches KF-X Fighter from the U.S. The award of a full-scale development contract to Korea Aerospace Industries for the indigenous, next-generation KF-X ﬁghter should be transformative for the company. First deliveries are due in 2026.

ometime in the late 1990s officials contract to KAI on Dec. 28 was the com- General Electric F414s. Sin Seoul seriously raised the idea that pany’s second big win for 2015. In June Lockheed Martin is supposed to tech- South Korea should build its own fighter. it was authorized to launch development nically support KF-X development in In 2002, the proposal surfaced publicly of the LCH-LAH civil and military heli- return for a South Korean order for 40 as the KF-X project, only to go through copter. The finance ministry has in prin- F-35 Lightnings. It will do so within limits, countless bureaucratic twists and turns ciple approved a complete development because Washington has refused to allow as doubters sought to stop it and par- budget for the fighter of 8.82 trillion won transfer of four key technologies. liament refused to spend on more than (US$7.36 billion), compared with 1.6 tril- The air force would like to see U.S. sys- design studies. lion won for the helicopter. tems on the KF-X, but Washington, D.C., is Now, finally, the KF-X has been launched Successful development of the KF-X withholding permission to integrate radar, into full-scale development, although with could result in KAI offering one of the very electronic warfare systems, infrared search seemingly modest funding for its first few alternatives to the Lockheed Martin and tracking, and targeting pods. Even if year. Prime contractor Korea Aerospace F-35 Lightning on the global fighter mar- South Korea can produce its own systems, Industries (KAI) is due to begin deliveries ket in the late 2020s. The KF-X is intended integration issues will remain. in 2026, building 40 of the twin-engine in its first version to be capable only of There is also the crucial, unanswered aircraft by 2028; a further 80 should fol- air-to-air missions, but later, a multi-role question of whether Washington will per- low in 2029-32. Indonesia is a partner, version is supposed to be stealthier and to mit integration of U.S. weapons with South contributing 20% of development costs. incorporate more South Korean systems. Korean systems or European or Israeli The defense ministry’s awarding of the The engines will be Eurojet EJ200s or alternatives. —Bradley Perrett

T-X Upgrades Boost South Korea’s T-50 Regardless of whether Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) wins the U.S. KAI’s unveiling ceremony appears to have been aimed mainly at Air Force’s T-X trainer program in partnership with Lockheed Martin, domestic consumption. An industry source confirms that it was, even the South Korean company looks assured of having a considerably though the buyer is supposedly the U.S. government. improved T-50 aircraft. And the South Korean industry ministry is Lockheed Martin played a large role in the original development of paying for much of the upgrade work. the T-50, the aerodynamics of which are based on the F-16’s. Flight testing of the T-X version of the T-50 is due to begin next year After testing on the ground and in the air in South Korea next year, following its unveiling by KAI on Dec. 17. The upgraded aircraft fea- flight testing will be conducted in the U.S. in 2017, says a KAI spokes- tures cockpit changes, in-flight refueling and an embedded training person. system. While rivals Northrop Grumman and the partnership of Boe- The ministry has also partly funded separate software work to sup- ing and Saab are developing all-new aircraft for T-X, KAI’s proposal, port a large cockpit display, helmet-mounted display (HMD), head-up which Lockheed Martin has been expected to support, would aim at display (HUD) and the embedded training system for “a trainer meeting the requirement with minimal alteration to a current-produc- aircraft” – almost certainly, the T-50 in its T-X form. —B.P. tion supersonic aircraft. Notably, a receptacle for refueling from boom-equipped tankers has been added. The module containing the refueling receptacle and Lockheed Martin has confirmed its choice of a modernized T-50 for the the tank is the main external change to the T-50 for T-X. U.S. Air Force’s T-X advanced trainer Alenia Aermacchi’s proposal, the T-100, is also based on a current competition. type, the M-346. But the company has not revealed a new U.S. partner since General Dynamics withdrew in March. Lockheed Martin and KAI agreed in July 2014 to jointly develop a version of the T-50 for the T-X requirement, and it said last week that it will offer the South Korean aircraft. It had been thought that all-new rival proposals could have prompted the U.S.manufacturer to decide that an aircraft designed in the 1990s leaves too much room for improvement.

66 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews DEFENSE: MALAYSIA AND TAIWAN

economic zone. Around the Viscount Melbourne near the same time, a Chinese Coast shoals. The Melbourne sank Guard vessel dropped anchor while sailing from Singapore in the shoals and didn’t leave. to Macau in 1842. Last year, a Malaysian min- This leisurely approach to ister insisted that the area territorial disputes seems to belonged to Malaysia and that be reflected in the progress of Two A400Ms have now been delivered to the RMAF. its navy and coast guard were the nation’s military procure- monitoring the area “to ensure ment programs. A decision is the sovereignty of the coun- expected this year on a replace- try.” In August, the Malaysian ment for the Royal Malaysian RMAF Mig-29 and F-5 government said it had been Air Force’s MiG-29 and F-5 sending weekly letters of pro- fleets, though the discussion test to China. Toward the has been ongoing since the Decisions in 2016? end of September, local fish- start of the decade. All the ompared to many other Malaysian waters hasn’t caused ermen reported being threat- usual suspects – Boeing F/A- Cnations in the region, much fuss. ened by armed men on the 18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Malaysia has a relationship At some point around 2013, Chinese ship. Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, to China that seems posi- an island formed in an area of Last June, the shoals had Saab JAS 39 Gripen – are in the tively laid-back. The govern- reefs known both as Luconia a Malaysian flag planted on running. ment in Kuala Lumpur has Shoals and as Gugusan Beting them, apparently for the first One new aircraft type is in long held a relaxed attitude Patinggi Ali, some 80 mi. off time – not by the Malaysian gov- service: The RMAF took deliv- toward supposed Chinese the Sarawak coast. The new ernment, but by German-born ery of its first Airbus A400M aggression, and even the curi- island aroused some territo- Australian marine archaeolo- last year, and the second of four ous case of the mooring of a rial interest, despite its loca- gist Hans Berekoven, who dis- arrived in January. Chinese Coast Guard vessel in tion well inside Malaysia’s covered the wreck of the HMS —Angus Batey Taiwan Shops, Madonna Sings

A RAFT OF approvals were announced force came in October, when in December to export U.S.-made defense the first flight of the Viper products to Taiwan, while China’s sov- variant of the F-16 took ereignty claims were highlighted in an place at Lockheed Martin’s plant in Fort unusual setting. Earlier this month, an Worth, Texas. The F-16V incorporates the iconic American figure catalyzed disagree- Northrop Grumman APG-83 active, elec- The F-16V, pictured during its first flight in October ments on social media, giving Taiwan’s tronically scanned array (AESA) radar, an 2015, will join Taiwan’s fleet. status new prominence. Elbit-supplied center pedestal display and Taipei’s shopping list, according to new mission computer. part of the century. Various proposals from the approvals released by the Pentagon’s The configuration will be supplied to Taipei, including purchases of new F-16s, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Taiwan as an upgrade of its fleet of F-16A/B F-35s and various upgrade packages for its includes 36 amphibious assault vehicles Block 20 jets and will bring an end to a tor- existing fighters, were stonewalled in the (model and manufacturer as yet unde- tuous process that dates back to the early U.S. over concerns about the coherence fined but with a price tag of US$337 mil- and viability of Taiwan’s defense program lion), two additional secondhand Oliver and disagreements over the levels of indus- Hazard Perry-class frigates (US$190 mil- trial participation. lion), 13 Mk15 Phalanx close-in guns for Proving it isn’t just war that consti- defense against anti-ship missiles and tutes politics by other means, American upgrade packs to bring a further eight singer Madonna created controversy two guns up to the same Block1B Baseline 2 weeks ago when she wrapped herself in spec (US$416 million), 769 BGM-71 tube- the Taiwanese flag during a concert in launched, optically tracked, wire-guided Taipei. Bickering broke out on various anti-tank missiles (US$268 million), 208 social-media platforms between Taiwanese Javelin anti-tank missiles (US$57 million) American singer Madonna upset fans who applauded what they took to be and 250 Block I92-F Stinger man-portable fans in China when she wrapped endorsement of their sovereignty, and herself in the Taiwanese flag air-defense missiles (US$217 million). during a concert in Taipei. Chinese fans who derided her for having Some welcome news for Taiwan’s air “nothing better to wear.” —Angus Batey

AviationWeek.com/ShowNews | February 16, 2016 67 GIFAS Helps the French Flex Aero Muscles

“Never before have so many companies in odd-numbered years. participated in the French Pavilion at an air Exhibiting in the French Pavilion this week are AAA show outside France,” says the Paris-based Dornier, ABC, A-NSE, Air aerospace association GIFAS. “This year, Cost Control, Air France France is the feature country.” Industries, Air Liquide, Alkan, Arv (Alpha-Num), Aquarese, early 60 French com- intermediate-sized enter- Aubert & Duval, BeAM, Npanies are participat- prises,” he said. Bolloré Logistics, Climats, ing in the French Pavilion GIFAS cites strong ties CNES, Daher, DCI, Dedienne at Singapore Airshow 2016, between Singapore and France, Aerospace, Defi Group, the organization says. They noting that more than 2,000 Eca/Esfe, Exxelia, Factem, include prime contractors, people work for subsidiaries of Finaero, FSH Welding, GMI equipment manufacturers, French aerospace companies Aero, Hexcel, Jacques Dubois, small to medium enterprises here. Lacroix, Latécoère, Lmb, Marwan Lahoud and maintenance specialists. “Singapore has established Mapaero, Nexeya, Nicomatic, “The Singapore Airshow itself as the leading aerospace 51 billion euros, or US$57.4 Nyco, Price Induction, Paris is the leading aviation event maintenance and repair cen- billion (82% in exports) “and Saint-Denis Aéro, Rafaut, in Southeast Asia. This year, ter in Asia and a key indus- are keen to invest in fast- Revima, Sabena Technics, France is the feature country, trial hub,” GIFAS says. “The expanding markets.” Safran, Secamic, Socomore, an accolade which few coun- French aerospace industry is GIFAS says it is regularly Sophia Conseil, Spring tries are eligible for,” said a key partner, and both coun- approached at major interna- Technologies, Stelia Aerospace, GIFAS chairman Marwan tries have innovation as their tional exhibitions, “and as such Techman-Head, Titeﬂex, Tld Lahoud. primary motivation.” is the best vehicle for showcas- Asia, Toulouse Air Spares, “I am particularly proud GIFAS notes that French ing the country’s industrial and Trescal, Trigo, UUDS, Win MS to help boost the influence aerospace and defense man- technological expertise to key and Zodiac Aerospace. of French industry by bring- ufacturers – the majority of international decision-mak- Airbus, ATR, CFM, MBDA ing a delegation of more which are association members ers.” The organization hosts the and Thales have their own than 60 small, medium- and – generate revenues of almost biannual Paris Air Show, held displays.

sale of just 36. In January, when French French Arms Crisis Averted president Francois Hollande failed to bring WITH RECORD ARMS exports in 2015, 36 Rafales. The French Defense Ministry home a signed contract for the fighters things are looking up for France’s belea- is likewise impatient to take delivery this after a state visit to New Delhi, Dassault guered defense sector. The Rafale is finally year of delayed A400Ms that meet tacti- was quick to assure that an agreement winning export orders, the French army is cal requirements, and is also troubled by would be reached within four weeks, but buying new tactical unmanned air vehi- Poland’s new government, which may be France’s chief weapons buyer Laurent cles, and the air force has three large satel- rethinking the previous administration’s Collet-Billon declined to give a specific lite procurements in the pipeline. plan to buy French Caracal helicopters. timeline for the order, saying only that he Some hurdles remain, notably the need On the bright side, defense spending saw expects the deal to be finalized this year. to conclude a deal with India for the sale of a slight boost in 2015, and with the gov- As for Dassault’s ability to produce ernment boasting a record 16 Rafales at a steady cadence, Collet-Billon The sun may soon rise billion euros (US$18 billion) in said he is confident that the company can on Rafale’s long-awaited arms exports last year – thanks manage. With 48 exports in hand, split sale to India. largely to Rafale sales in Egypt evenly between Cairo and Doha, he says and Qatar – the French defense Dassault is reviewing what can be done sector is poised for modest in terms of production rate. Assuming an growth. 11-month work cycle, he says that at least The Rafale sale to India has two Rafale per month are certain, or 22 per been more than four years in the year, with the potential to increase up to making and has been reduced 33. However, “it will be very difficult to go from the 126 aircraft agreed beyond that,” he said. “Customers will be with Dassault in early 2012 to served on a first-come, first-served basis.” a government-to-government —Amy Svitak

68 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews TRENDS AND INSIGHT Business Jets Are the New Secret Weapon

One of the biggest and most expensive military ISR has never been more and automation are crucial valuable. National and inter- in reducing crew size – some aircraft on the static display here is the Israel national security needs focus earlier-generation aircraft in Aerospace Industries (IAI) Conformal Airborne increasingly on targets that are this class, like the Sentinel Early Warning (C-AEW) system, based on a easy to kill but hard to find and and the Saab 340AEW, carried Gulfstream G550. even harder to identify with the only enough operators to work rigor demanded by the laws of the radar and were tethered by our of them joined the awarded Leidos a US$662 mil- war. With expanding global data link to a ground control FRepublic of Singapore Air lion contract to integrate the trade and travel, knowledge of station. Force in 2006-08. It was the new Airborne Reconnaissance the global commons becomes There’s a wider range of plat- start of a trend. Low – Enhanced (ARL-E) sys- more important. forms, from Global 6000s down This morning, Saab will tem. This did not include the But budgets are constrained to used Dash 8s, and their per- announce its GlobalEye air- Northrop Grumman radar or and air forces are getting formance has improved to the borne surveillance aircraft, the the Bombardier Dash 8-300 smarter about life-cycle costs. point where they can be loaded export version of the United aircraft, which were purchased Big aircraft are expensive, par- with electronics and festooned Arab Emirates-funded swing- separately. ticularly as airlines retire them. with antennas and still reach role surveillance system (SRSS) The 2017 U.S. defense bud- Large multi-sensor unmanned high altitudes and offer good that it unveiled at Dubai. Like get published on Tuesday air vehicles (UAVs) are not time-on-station numbers. SRSS, it is based on a com- preserved the replacement cheap, and while mishap There are pitfalls, to be sure. pletely revised EriEye radar program for the Northrop rates are improving, not many Low cost is not the same as on a Bombardier Global 6000 Grumman E-8C Joint Stars. budgets can brush off a doing things on the cheap: platform. IAI’s Elta division is Two of the contenders are US$20 million vehicle that The U.S. Army’s complicated also promoting a Global 5000- offering business jet platforms wanders off into oblivion when procurement strategy for ARL- based maritime patrol aircraft, (Lockheed Martin/Gulfstream the datalink drops out. UAV E, with one office buying and and confirmed in November and Northrop Grumman/ economics get more competi- modifying the airframes and that it had a contract in hand Bombardier), and Boeing is tive as you approach 24/7 cov- another developing the ISR (signed a couple of years ago) offering a 737. The Air Force’s erage, but not everyone wants works, was a response to the for the C-AEW’s ground-sur- choice, due late next year, or needs that all the time. unpleasant discovery that some veillance cousin. will say a lot about the future Today’s technology vastly of its surveillance aircraft in the Sophisticated midsize-plat- of ISR. improves the performance of Middle East had been modified form intelligence, surveillance ISR systems based on busi- smaller aircraft – “kilobytes beyond the limits of commer- and reconnaissance (ISR) ness jets or regional airliners instead of kilograms,” says IAI. cial certification but had not systems are catching on in have been a slow-growing seg- Active electronically scanned obtained military approval. other places. The Royal Air ment for a long time, but the array (AESA) radars – the first This was quite as bad as it Force’s Raytheon-Bombardier recent successes may be a sign airborne AESA was EriEye, sounds. Sentinel R1 has survived bud- that the market is accelerat- carried in a Saab 340 – are But the trend is clear and getary assassination attempts. ing. There are several factors getting less costly and more should pose a dilemma for In October, the U.S. Army in play. efficient thanks to gallium- operators of older systems. nitride technology. Full-up The Boeing E-3 Awacs has a electronic surveillance mea- slow and cumbrous mechani- Singapore operates four Israel Aerospace Industries sures fit in the space that crude cally scanned radar on a big, Conformal Airborne Early Warning (C-AEW) systems, based on the Gulfstream G550. radar-warning receivers used geriatric, expensive platform, to need. High-end electro-opti- but the U.S. continues to pour cal sensors today, fusing mul- money into upgrades to keep tiple wave bands, are flat-out it flying through the 2030s: eye-watering. steampunk manual flight con- Some vital innovations trols, hydromechanical engine are less obvious. Step into controls and all. The UK, tthehe cabin of any small-to- which fell behind on its Awacs mediumm ISR platform and modernization a decade ago, ask yourself how well it faces an expensive catch-up would work without big program. There are few good flat-screen displays. (It reasons for not looking at wouldn’t.) Modern work- alternatives. stations,s sensor fusion — Bill Sweetman

AviationWeek.com/ShowNews | February 16, 2016 69 BY MARCUS JADOTTE OPINION U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR INDUSTRY & ANALYSIS The Trans-Pacific Partnership – Benefits in the Pacific Rim Congratulations to the planners and exhibitors of the 2016 Singapore Airshow! We at the U.S. Department of Commerce are thrilled to support this outstanding event.

The Asia-Pacific region is one of the fastest-growing markets Singapore is already a transportation linchpin for the Asia- for aviation. We believe that the Singapore Airshow provides Pacific region and a hub for aircraft maintenance. The country an unmatched opportunity to form partnerships with com- is consistently a top market for U.S. aerospace parts exports panies and governments across this dynamic region. In 2015, averaging more than $5.7 billion in parts exports between U.S. aerospace companies exported more than $144 billion 2005 and 2014. As a result, Singapore and this show are per- worth of equipment to markets around the fect entry points for American companies exploring the region. world. In that same year, approximately $48 We at the Commerce Department have many resources billion in exports went to customers in the available to support U.S. firms pursuing business prospects in Asia-Pacific region, a figure that will likely in- Asia. For the Singapore Airshow, we have organized our fifth crease as the region expands infrastructure for Aerospace Executive Service Trade Mission, through which we aviation and defense. This is why, once again, help small- and medium-size companies find agents and dis- the United States has the largest international tributors, while our industry specialists from across the region presence at the Singapore Airshow. provide one-on-one counseling. We were also proud to certify These opportunities are also why President the U.S. International Pavilion, where cutting-edge American Obama pursued the Trans-Pacific Partnership firms are on display. As part of our commitment to the Pavil- (TPP). The TPP is a 21st-century, high-stan- ion, we have flown in 14 specialists from 12 countries across dard trade agreement that will benefit Ameri- the region to provide market intelligence to U.S. exhibitors. can workers and the economy and also deliver And, for the first time ever, we are hosting an aviation Marcus Jadotte unprecedented opportunities for companies infrastructure workshop under the Lower Mekong Initiative across the Asia-Pacific region. to complement the show. The two-day workshop will feature The TPP represents a generational opportunity to expand aviation and airport management best practices, while high- market access for businesses in the Pacific Rim by eliminating lighting how U.S. companies can bring their technology and all manufacturing tariffs, removing non-tariff barriers, setting expertise to address real-world problems. a new high standard for global trading rules and leveling the Finally, through our domestic and international network of playing field for American workers. trade specialists, we work to help companies connect directly Once implemented, the TPP will enhance transparency and with potential business partners year-round. My aerospace predictability, which are two critical factors to improving the team can provide counsel and share data and market intel- overall business environment and facilitating global com- ligence to help American companies form their business merce. The agreement will commit partner nations to stronger strategies. intellectual property protections as well as clearer rulemaking Aerospace is one of America’s most successful exporting to prevent the rise of unnecessarily burdensome regulations stories. This sector already has the highest trade surplus of that impede trade in the region. any manufacturing industry and has had this distinction for In addition, the Trans-Pacific Partnership will lead to an many years. overall increase in economic activity and trade for this region. This showcases both the quality of American technology and As economies grow, there will be a natural, corresponding rise the strength of our ability to form international partnerships. in demand for transportation-related products. As a result, we Every day, companies are realizing that success in the aero- believe that the TPP will be particularly good for aerospace space industry requires having a thoughtful plan for targeting manufacturers. To learn more about these opportunities, visit opportunities beyond U.S. borders. They know that the highest www.trade.gov/fta/tpp/industries/transportation.asp. Many growth markets for aviation are outside North America, in TPP partners have been identified by my aerospace team as places like Singapore and the rest of Asia. I’m proud to say top markets (see Aircraft Parts at www.trade.gov/topmarkets) that the Commerce Department stands ready and able to for U.S. aerospace parts producers, including Canada, Japan, help U.S. companies plan their export strategy and address Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Malaysia, and, of course, challenges head-on. We look forward to working with our Asia- Singapore. Pacific partners now and in the future.

70 February 16, 2016 | AviationWeek.com/ShowNews AIR DOMINANCE MODERNIZATION #%41556*'52'%647/

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