Boeing’s defence, space and security division is enlisting Asia Pacific companies to support its weapons platforms’ life cycle requirements, and is using Insitu’s ScanEagle to enter the region’s adjacent commercial market space.
Boeing’s commitment to its weapons platforms’ life cycles has led the company to work with a wide range of industry partners across the Asia Pacific region. Boeing explained its business model for partnerships, telling asianmilitaryreview.com: “Each programme is supported by a team that is specialised in identifying the right partnership opportunities across the Boeing enterprise and global supply chain that can extend beyond one platform or service.” An example is TAML in India, which provides the Auxiliary Power Unit door fairing and tail cone assembly for the Boeing P-8A/I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
Furthermore, Boeing’s Australian subsidiary delivers an integrated approach to supporting the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) Boeing FA-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fighter and electronic warfare aircraft fleets under the Air Combat Electronic Attack Support Contract (ACEASC). As prime contractor, Boeing delivers weapon system management, engineering, operational support, logistics and intermediate and deeper maintenance alongside key subcontractors such as Raytheon and Northrop Grumman’s Australian subsidiaries. The ACEASC operates under a single-management framework that includes both contractor and Commonwealth of Australia employees managing all current and future fleet requirements.
Beyond defence, Boeing and subsidiary Insitu have announced INEXA Solutions, a comprehensive suite of remote sensing and information delivery products and services to apply our expertise to the commercial market for autonomous systems. Boeing continued: “We’re doing this work successfully in Australia in the oil and gas industry. Working with the Queensland Gas Company, a Shell-owned business, we are using the ScanEagle (unmanned aerial vehicle) to inspect gas wells, pipelines and processing facilities, helping the customer improve the safety and efficiency of their inspections.”
