Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 17, 2008 - (Page 4)

FA R N B O R O U G H 2 0 0 8 Aeroflot Orders Five A321s Projects Are Multiplying for Saudi’s Al Salam, Including Typhoon Work For Mohammed Fallatah, president and CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Al Salam Aircraft, life is about to get a lot busier. His company is embarking on a series of new projects for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF), adding to its existing extensive portfolio of work. “The Eurofighter Typhoon project [known as the Al Salam program] is on track, with final assembly probably in Dahran,” he tells Show News. “The final agreement on production is still being finalized (we want to have started yesterday) but we’d like to have it defined by the end of 2008. The first Typhoons from Warton arrive in June 2009. “Our work is due to start in late 2010, but that’s still an RSAF/BAE decision.” “Since 1 January we have been working on the Tornado Sustainment Programme (TSP) at Dahran. We will modify the whole RSAF fleet of about 82 IDS aircraft and the first batch of six or seven are already being worked on. I expect the TSP to run for the next five years and Salam (meaning Peace) depot maintenance Eurofighter project is well beyond that.” Al Salam’s flagship. “We have captured all depot maintenance work for the RSAF’s C-130 fleet–that’s about 50 aircraft–and we are well prepared for the future upgrade program.” Al Salam’s owner, Boeing, plans to bid its AMP avionics upgrade when an RFP is issued. And, says Fallatah, “We are re-engining the F-15S fleet from Pratt & Whitney to General Electric engines. That will be on contract soon and we continue F-15 maintenance.” “The first E-3 Link 16 upgrade was inducted into our factory on 1 July. We will do four aircraft and that is a great thing for us, because it gives us a capacity for any future RSAF E-3 upgrades.” —Robert Hewson Aeroflot signed a contract to buy five Airbus A321s, adding to its existing fleet of 38 A320 family aircraft. The aircraft will be configured in two classes and will be deployed on the carrier’s extended European and domestic networks. The A321s will be powered by CFM56-5 engines. Saudi Arabia’s AACC Signs with Messier Aircraft Accessories and Components Company, Ltd. (AACC) of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has selected Messier Services to provide a turnkey solution to support a maintenance, repair and overhaul shop for civil and military landing gears. The agreement was signed here at Farnborough this week by president and CEO of AACC, Ltd. Muhanna Safar Al Sufiani and managing director of Messier Services UK Paul Clifford. The shop is part of a new AACC MRO campus to be located at King Abdulaziz International Airport. Boeing, AgustaWestland to Offer CH-47F in Italy Boeing and AgustaWestland launched an industrial agreement yesterday to jointly manufacture CH-47F helicopters being proposed to the Italian army, as part of an 800 million euro proposal expected for submission this month. Negotiations with the Italian defense minister are expected toward year’s end. If successful, initial deliveries could begin by 2012. The agreement also covers several international markets in Europe and the Mediterranean, including the UK, Greece, Turkey, Morocco and Egypt. Northrop Grumman DIRCM on UK Tankers Northrop Grumman has been selected to provide its laser-based Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures System (LAICM) for the UK Royal Air Force’s air-to-air refueling and transport aircraft. Under the terms of the $93 million contract with Thales UK, a member of the AirTanker team, Northrop Grumman will supply LAICM systems and support to equip 14 new A330-200 tankers beginning in 2011. First Apache Battalion Equipped with VUIT-2 Lockheed Martin began delivering the first VUIT-2 video link and relay systems, enabling Apache crewmembers to view and share imagery from airborne sources such as Raven, Shadow, Hunter, Predator, Sky Warrior and Reaper, as well as fighter aircraft such as the F-16 and F-15. Images and metadata can be viewed directly on the Apache cockpit displays and be relayed to commanders on the ground, dramatically cutting the voice communications needed for directions and coordination. The system can also transmit the image from the Apache sight (M/TADS), enabling ground elements to verify that the helicopter is targeting the right target. The new system incorporates a rotor-mounted datalink element and an avionic Line Replaceable Unit (LRU), requiring minimal installation on the helicopter. Sukhoi Scoops 25 Superjets in Show Signings Two Sukhoi Superjet 100 contracts logged at the Show yesterday have brought to 98 the number of firm commitments for this Russian regional airliner: an overnight one-third boost to its fortunes. These are in addition to the 24 aircraft covered by a heads of agreement announced earlier this week with Avia-Leasing. An “undisclosed renowned European Customer” is to obtain 20 of the SSJ100/95 model in 98-seat configuration, at a total value of approximately $600 million. Furthermore, the marketing arm Superjet International signed a $150 million agreement with AMA Asset Management Advisors (Suisse) yesterday for five of the same variant, deliverable in 2011. “I am very pleased for the settlement of this strategic agreement,” said AMA CEO Francesco Guarnieri. 4 July 17, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

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