Japanese Military Cargo Aircraft To Fly July '07

General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE) has selected Goodrich Corporation to supply nacelle systems to support development of a new Japanese military cargo aircraft, the C-X. The contract is expected to generate in excess of $100 million over the life of the program, including sales of spare components. The Japan Defense Agency (JDA), the primary contractor for the C-X aircraft, has selected the GEAE CF6-80C2 engine to power the twin-engine aircraft.

JDA plans to produce 44 aircraft. GE will take delivery of the flight test Goodrich nacelles in 2006 and 2007. First flight of the C-X is scheduled for July 2007, with entry into service planned in 2011. Located in Chula Vista, California, Goodrich's Aerostructures division currently manufactures nacelle components for the CF6-80C2 propulsion systems flying on Boeing's 747 and 767 aircraft.

"This is a significant contract award for us for a number of reasons," said Goodrich Aerostructures Business Acquisition and Product & Process Definition Vice President Brian Brandewie. "We are successfully leveraging our nacelle and pylon development effort on the Lockheed Martin C-5 Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program to gain a position on another important military platform."

FMI: www.goodrich.com