Jet Aviation Dubai opens FBO at Al Maktoum International Airport Dubai World Central
These images are available for editorial use by news media.
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 18, 2013 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments Company (ADASI), a Tawazun subsidiary, today signed a teaming agreement for the two companies to address the growing Middle East market for unmanned systems.
Speaking at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi, company representatives said the teaming agreement enables ADASI to provide training, support and marketing services for Boeing's ScanEagle and Integrator unmanned aircraft systems in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with prospects to expand into the Middle East and North Africa.
"This agreement advances Boeing's strategy of partnering with best-in-industry companies such as ADASI," said Debbie Rub, a vice president and general manager in Boeing Military Aircraft. "We plan to continue investing and growing in the UAE and the broader Middle East region in order to support U.S. allies' enduring need for affordable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) solutions, such as ScanEagle and Integrator."
The agreement supports the ongoing drive to develop UAE national capabilities within ADASI. Boeing's direct involvement with ADASI will open many opportunities for ADASI's UAE nationals to develop their knowledge and skills through Boeing's world-leading capabilities and experience in the management and implementation of technical programs.
"Today’s announcement is an important continuation of our strategy to build aerospace capabilities right here in the Middle East," said ADASI Chairman Homaid Al Shemmari. "Our homegrown expertise, coupled with Boeing's technical capabilities in unmanned aircraft systems, is a winning combination and one that we look forward to strengthening in the coming years."
The teaming agreement expands on a previous agreement between ADASI and Insitu, a wholly owned Boeing subsidiary that makes the ScanEagle and Integrator. That collaboration allowed for support and sustainment of Insitu's unmanned ISR products and services.
"Boeing continues to demonstrate its enduring commitment to the UAE not just by delivering commercial aircraft and defense systems, but also through solid partnerships such as this latest agreement," said Boeing Middle East President Jeff Johnson. "In this way, we can help the UAE achieve its national objective of providing new career opportunities for its people."
ADASI is the first UAE-based company to offer clients a comprehensive range of services to cover all types of autonomous systems. ADASI offers holistic solutions, starting with joint analysis of end-users' needs, through formalization of their requirements, to equipment selection and procurement. ADASI also offers product or system design, development, testing and commissioning of localized subsystems and systems, and other engineering solutions, as well as training of customer teams, operational support and systems maintenance.
The Boeing Company has a long-standing relationship with the United Arab Emirates. From air transport and aviation support services to defense and satellite systems, Boeing has worked closely with UAE civil and defense authorities to achieve the country’s objectives and ambitions. Boeing values its relationships and partnerships in the UAE and the region and is committed to building on these relationships for mutual benefit into the future.
Tawazun is a strategic investment firm focused on the long-term development of UAE’s industrial manufacturing and technology capabilities and knowledge-transfer with a specific focus on the defense sector. Established in 2007 as a fully owned subsidiary of Tawazun Economic Council, Tawazun Holding’s mission is to develop profitable ventures through industrial partnerships and strategic investments that add to the country’s industrial manufacturing layer in the areas of defense, defense manufacturing and manufacturing technology.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $33 billion business with 60,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.
# # #
Contact:
Fakher Daghestani
Boeing International Communications
Office: +971 4 213 4703
Mobile: +971 50 6254855
fakher.a.daghestani@boeing.com
David Sidman
Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Office: +1 314-232-1980
Mobile: +1 314-409-6725
david.sidman@boeing.com
Saif Ali Al Marzooqi
Associate Director - Corporate Communications
Tawazun
+971 2 5069911
salmarzooqi@tawazun.ae
United States Senator Richard Blumenthal in the A350 XWB Final Assembly LineRichard Blumenthal, the United States Senator for the state of Connecticut, led a delegation of home-state aerospace manufacturers in a visit to Airbus, in Toulouse, France. Airbus is the largest export customer of the U.S. aerospace industry. At Airbus the delegation met with Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Brégier, Executive Vice President for Procurement Klaus Richter and other procurement officials. The delegation also toured the state-of-the-art A350 XWB and A380 Final Assembly Lines.
Formerly Connecticut’s Attorney General, the Senator was elected to the Senate in 2010. He is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and also of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has responsibility over FAA and other transportation matters.
Reverts back to nickel cadmium technology
Airbus is confident that the lithium ion (Li-ion) main battery architecture it has been developing with Saft and qualifying for the A350 XWB aircraft is robust and safe. The A350 XWB flight test programme will continue as planned with the qualified Li-ion main batteries.
However, to date, the root causes of the two recent industry Li-ion main batteries incidents remain unexplained to the best of our knowledge. In this context, and with a view to ensuring the highest level of programme certainty, Airbus has decided to activate its “Plan B” and therefore to revert back to the proven and mastered nickel cadmium main batteries for its A350 XWB programme at Entry into Service (EIS). Airbus considers this to be the most appropriate way forward in the interest of programme execution and A350 XWB reliability.
In parallel, Airbus has also launched additional maturity studies on Li-ion main batteries behavior in aerospace operations and will naturally take on board the findings of the ongoing official investigation.
As a result of making this decision now, Airbus does not expect it to impact the A350 XWB Entry Into Service schedule.