India's $4.1-billion aircraft order with Boeing is boost for Long Beach factory
What would be nation's largest defense deal with a U.S. contractor, for the purchase of 10 C-17 military cargo jets, will extend work at Boeing's Long Beach plant through 2014.
June 06, 2011|By W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times
Boeing Co.'s beleaguered jet-making complex in Long Beach received a major boost with a year's worth of new work after India's government approved the purchase of 10 C-17 military cargo aircraft for $4.1 billion.
The deal should keep things humming at the sprawling plant through 2014, Boeing spokesman Jerry Drelling said.
The company received formal approval Monday from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Cabinet committee on security. The deal would be India's largest defense contract with a U.S. company.
All that remains to make it official is for the two governments to sign a letter of acceptance, which Boeing said it hopes will be completed by the end of the week.
"We're still waiting on the signatures, but the deal is 99.9% done," said Stan Klemchuk, president of the United Aerospace Workers Local 148, which represents 1,600 workers at the Boeing factory. "Folks are buzzing in Long Beach. It gives us one more year of work and couldn't come at a better time."
Click Click D'oh wrote:Are these to replace their IL-76s or are these going to be new units?
Click Click D'oh wrote:This article indicates that they will be replacements for the IL-76s, but given the picture of a C-17 there...
Might not be the best source.
The Indian air force is to buy an initial 10 Boeing heavy-lift C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to replace Russian IL-76 transporters, the defense minister said.
Defense Minister A.K. Antony confirmed to Parliament that a letter of request was issued to Washington for the $2.5 million acquisition.
ndia bought IL-76 aircraft in the 1980s and operates fewer than 20of the aircraft. It has a 45-ton cargo capacity with a crew of six. The C-17 carries 70 tons and needs a crew of three, and one person can operate the heavy-lift hydraulics for cargo handling.
Indian defense officials have said in the past that their military needs the extra support offered by a plane such as the C-17 for quickly airlifting troops to and from the Pakistani border region as part of its fight against terrorism. Requirements include at short notice the ability to fly anything from tanks to troops onto short airfields with steep approaches.
The C-17 can take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles and refuel in flight. It can also land in 3,000 feet or less on an unpaved or paved airfield day or night.
The Indian air force also operates around 100 Russian A-32 aircraft for airlifting troops and for logistics operations. Last year India signed $400 million deal with Ukrainian military export agency Ukrspetsexport to upgrade the planes.
Six C-130J Hercules are also on order for the air force.
The House of Representatives has approved the purchase of one C-17 jet in its 2012 defense budget, despite threats of a veto by President Obama and opposition from the Pentagon...
...It's a small shot in the arm to the Boeing C-17 assembly plant in Long Beach, where about 10 of the giant aircraft are built each year.
Boeing has been increasingly reliant on foreign sales in recent years to keep production alive, cutting deals with India, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait in the past year for as many as 16 jets.
President Obama has repeatedly expressed his desire to stop C-17 orders for the U.S Air Force, saying the branch already has 211 with 10 more on order.
Before retiring in June, former Defense Chief Robert Gates said the President would likely veto any spending bill with C-17 s or other "pork barrel" projects that Congress includes.
GQfluffy wrote:Not exactly sure what my opinion is on the matter other than placing an order for ONE aircraft? Kind of stupid if you ask me..
