Search

The article reports on the move of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to urge Boeing to let it set up a final assembly line in Japan for the 737 replacement program. Kiyotaka Ichimaru, general manager of Mitsubishi's civil aircraft division, clarifies that the company does not want to take over all final assembly. Instead, he says that Mitsubishi will help carry the final-assembly burden of what would probably be a massive, high-rate production effort.

The article examines international cooperation between aerospace industry companies in Asia in the construction of jet transports. Cooperation between Korean Air Aerospace Division of South Korea and the Japanese companies Fuji Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries as suppliers of parts for the construction of the 787 jet transport by Boeing Co, is considered. It is noted that Asian aerospace industry firms have been unable to unite to construct their own jet transport.

This article reports that civil aircraft projects in China and Japan are relying on first-tier suppliers from Western countries for integration expertise that they lack. Mitsubishi Aircraft and Comac are relying on experts from Goodrich and Honeywell to help them with integration. General Electric is also supplying jet engines to Comac and helping with the integration work.