Boeing Plans for New Presidential Helicopter Have a Role in KC-X
Here is a post I wrote at Defense Procurement News about Boeing’s (BA) decision to use the Augusta Westland 101 as the base aircraft for their new Presidential transport helicopter bid. It makes them look a little hypocritical on the whole EADS (EADS:P) role in KC-X.
Jim Kelly Said,
June 24, 2010 @ 5:48 pm
Boeing and Augusta Westland are not teaming to offer an aircraft whose design belongs to a foreign company. Boeing has licensed the design and will own all the design documents. Owning the design ensures that Boeing will be able to provide parts throughout the life of the helicopter. Design ownership ensures that Boeing won’t have to reverse engineer parts if, in the future, Augusta Westland’s home nation(s) doesn’t approve of how the US uses the helicopters and ends support of the helicopter. If my memory is correct at least one modern US military system bought from a European country sat out much of the 2003 Iraq war because that country disagreed with the Iraq war and would not supply key parts. There is no doubt in my mind that the Airbus tanker is bigger and more modern than the 767 tanker, but I firmly believe that, unless an American company obtains design ownership, France will stop supporting the plane when France and the US have another dust-up. On another front, the original intent of KC-X was to replace KC-135s one-for-one with KC-Xes – use the same runways, same aprons, same base/airport infrastructure. The B767 meets this requirement. The A330 requires more apron space and longer runways. If Airbus wants to win KC-X as originally intended they should base their offer on an iteration of the A320 series or develop a new plane. The A330 is clearly an ideal candidate to replace the KC-10. BUT only if controls are put in place to assure parts are available throughout the plane’s life regardless of US/France relations.