Boeing, Super Hornet Suppliers Present Prospects for Brazilian Industry at Porto Alegre and São José dos Campos Conferences

SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS, Brazil, Aug. 2, 2012 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and a dozen of its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet suppliers highlighted opportunities available to Brazilian industry at conferences on July 31 in Porto Alegre and Aug. 1 in São José dos Campos. A wide-ranging industrial participation program is part of Boeing's Super Hornet offering in Brazil’s F-X2 fighter competition.

"The participation of so many Super Hornet team members in these conferences and the opportunities presented demonstrate the commitment of Boeing and its suppliers to work with Brazilian industry in ways that draw on the strengths of local companies and provide a foundation for long-term growth," said Susan Colegrove, regional director of International Strategic Partnerships for Boeing Defense, Space & Security.

The prospects presented include:

- Raytheon has identified local manufacture and support opportunities for components in its Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared pod and the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar avionics systems.
- Northrop Grumman plans to work with Brazilian aerospace companies on advanced composites activities including production of composite material, composite fabrication tools, assembly tooling and the manufacture of advanced composites parts and major assembly components.
- GE Aviation has outlined opportunities related to the inspection, testing, maintenance and support of engines.

Other Super Hornet suppliers at the conferences included BAE Systems, Eaton, GKN, Harris, Honeywell, Moog, Parker Aerospace, UTC Aerospace Systems and Woodward.

Representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Brazil participated in the São José dos Campos conference, which was attended by nearly 80 companies from the state of São Paulo. The conference was arranged with CECOMPI, the Center for Competitiveness and Innovation for the northeastern region of São Paulo, and ABIMAQ, the Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment.

FIERGS, the Federation of Industries of Rio Grande do Sul, was instrumental in coordinating the Porto Alegre conference, which drew representatives from more than 50 companies from the state of Rio Grande do Sul.