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| Boeing and Japanese partners signing an agreement for 777X production. Photo: Boeing |
[Avionics Today 07-24-2015] Boeing and Japanese partners have signed a formal agreement for significant work on Boeing’s new 777X airplane. The agreement finalizes last year’s announcement by Boeing, Japan Aircraft Industries (JAI), and Japan Aircraft Development Corporation (JADC) of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to provide approximately 21 percent of the major airplane structure components for the 777X. The contract includes fuselage sections; center wing sections; pressure bulkhead; main landing gear wells; passenger, cargo and main landing gear doors; wing components and wing-body fairings.
JAI consists of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), ShinMaywa Industries (SMIC), and NIPPI Corporation (NIPPI). JADC is a non-profit foundation established to enhance the competitiveness of the Japanese aircraft industry. Boeing has previously partnered with Japanese aerospace companies to develop and manufacture multiple airframes, including the 787 Dreamliner.
“The signing of this contract is an important milestone for JADC and JAI,” said Shigeru Murayama, JADC Chairman and president of KHI. “The JAI companies are investing in new facilities and introducing robotic and other automated systems to ensure they deliver high-quality products on time every time. This is a measure of their commitment to the success of the 777X.”
Production is set to begin on the 777X program in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2020.