777X

Boeing has entered into an agreement with five Japanese partners to work on significant components for the new 777X aircraft.

Japan Aircraft Industries (JAI) and Japan Aircraft Development Corporation (JADC) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to deliver nearly 21% of the major aircraft structure components

The works include fuselage sections; centre wing sections; pressure bulkheads; main landing gear wells; passenger, cargo and main landing gear doors; wing components and wing-body fairings.

The JAI consortium comprises Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), ShinMaywa Industries (SMIC) and NIPPI Corporation (NIPPI), while JADC is a non-profit foundation set up to improve the competitiveness of the Japanese aircraft industry.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes president & CEO Ray Conner said the companies that make up the JAI are consistently high performers, deliver superior quality and have worked with the company’s to meet affordability goals for the 777X.

"As the 777X is larger than the current 777, the value of the structural components procured from Japan will be proportionately higher, generating more value."

"They model the kind of partnership we need from our global suppliers to best serve our customers and meet the changing demands in the marketplace," Conner noted.

Boeing previously partnered with Japanese firms to develop and manufacture the Next-Generation 737, 737 MAX, 747, 767, 777, 787 Dreamliner, and in 2013, spent over $4bn on goods and services in Japan.

Commenting on the deal, Boeing Japan president George Maffeo said this agreement with Japanese partners extends the company’s important and strategic relationship for decades to come.

"As the 777X is larger than the current 777, the value of the structural components procured from Japan will be proportionately higher, generating more value for our partners, as well for Boeing," Maffeo said. "Together, we are changing and shaping the future of commercial aviation."

Boeing’s 777X family includes the 777-8X and the 777-9X. Design of the 777X is currently under way, with production set to begin in 2017.

Image: The 777X family includes the 777-8X and the 777-9X. Photo: courtesy of Boeing.

Defence Technology