Friday, November 19, 2010

DTN News: Boeing Delivers US Navy's 10th C-40A Derivative Aircraft

Defense News: DTN News: Boeing Delivers US Navy's 10th C-40A Derivative Aircraft
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) WICHITA, Kan., - November 19, 2010: Boeing [NYSE: BA] today delivered the 10th C-40A transport/cargo aircraft to the U.S. Navy. The Boeing 737-700 commercial derivative was modified at the company’s Wichita facility for its Navy mission.

"The C-40A has a critical mission to deliver personnel and supplies to all areas of the world, and we're proud to play a part in making sure that can happen," said Steve Wade, general manager of Boeing Global Transport & Executive Systems.

The C-40A is equipped with a main-deck cargo door and can be configured for troop transport, cargo transport or both. With superior range and performance; a state-of-the-art flight deck; 21st century avionics; and quiet, clean, fuel-efficient engines, the C-40A increases the Navy's capability for rapid response to the fleet worldwide.

Boeing and Navy representatives marked the completion of the modification at a delivery ceremony today.

"The C-40A plays an important role in the Navy Unique Fleet Essential Airlift (NUFEA) fleet," said Vice Adm. Dirk Debbink, Chief of Navy Reserve. "These fuel-efficient, extremely flexible logistics-support aircraft are an integral part of every maritime mission, from humanitarian assistance to power projection. The bottom line is the ability of the C-40A to provide our nation important, Navy-unique airlift capability at a lower cost. We welcome this new aircraft into the fleet!"

The Navy C-40As, which replace the service's fleet of C-9s, are based at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) in Forth Worth, Texas, at NAS Jacksonville, Fla., and at NAS North Island in San Diego, Calif. The new aircraft will be immediately stationed at NAS JRB Fort Worth, where crews will provide transition training for crews at NAS Oceana, Va., a new C-40A location scheduled to open next year.

Boeing is on contract to deliver two additional C-40As; one 737 is currently being modified at the Wichita facility, while the other is on the Boeing Commercial Airplanes production line in Renton, Wash.

"We're looking forward to continuing to enhance the Navy's fleet of C-40As with as many aircraft as are required to support this mission," said Wade. "The C-40A is a proven workhorse, whether it is delivering humanitarian aid to the scenes of natural disasters or military equipment to ships and troops on the ground."

Boeing's Global Transport & Executive Systems business, based in Wichita, supports Boeing commercial derivative aircraft including the executive-fleet C-32A and C-40B/C, the Navy's C-40A and E-6B, and the National Airborne Operations Center’s E-4B.

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 $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

Contact:

Jarrod Bartlett
Maintenance, Modifications & Upgrades
Office: 316-977-2574
Mobile: 316-204-9456
jarrod.s.bartlett@boeing.com

Forrest Gossett
Maintenance, Modifications & Upgrades
Office: 314-234-2309
Mobile: 314-363-0650
forrest.s.gossett@boeing.com

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com
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DTN News: Israel Says In Talks On More F-35 fighter Jets

Defense News: DTN News: Israel Says In Talks On More F-35 fighter Jets
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Reuters
(NSI News Source Info) WSHINGTON, - November 19, 2010: Israel is in talks with the United States to acquire an additional 20 Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-35 fighter jets, a senior Israeli defense official said on Wednesday.

Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi said Israel would welcome another 20 fighter jets on the heels of a deal signed in October to buy about 20 of the radar-evading jets at a cost of about $96 million per aircraft.

"As I understand -- and that's the latest information I have on this issue -- it's still under negotiation between the Israeli government and the administration," he said, speaking at a news conference alongside Admiral Mike Mullen, the top U.S. military officer.

"I don't know the final decision," Ashkenazi said.

Some media had reported the Obama administration offered the additional jets to Israel in exchange for a three-month freeze on construction of new settlements, a key issue in efforts to broker Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Israel signaled on Tuesday it had delayed approving U.S. proposals for a freeze on West Bank settlement building so that peace talks can resume, saying it wanted the ideas in writing.

Israeli sources said the proposals, made verbally during a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York last week, included an F-35 offer worth $3 billion and pledges of enhanced U.S. diplomatic support at the United Nations.

Israel has said the first batch of jets, to be received from 2015 through 2017, would boost the country's ability to defend itself against any Middle Eastern threat.

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(Reporting by Missy Ryan; Editing by Philip Barbara)

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com
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