Boeing plans to set up a dedicated production line for military variants of the 767 if, as expected, a lack of airline orders forces the company to end commercial production of the widebody. "We do not have to make that decision [to shut down the 767 line] until late spring/early summer [next year]," says Boeing chief executive Harry Stonecipher.
With its commercial backlog dwindling, and despite the US Air Force tanker deal remaining stalled, the 767 is "a good multipurpose military platform", says Stonecipher. "As the commercial line comes to an end, we expect to it to become a platform for a number of applications."
When commercial deliveries end, Boeing plans to move the 767 line over to military production so that more of the airframe modifications can be performed "in line". This "ITAR-compliant line" concept will also be used by Boeing for production of the US Navy's 737-based Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft.
Production of the military 767 will remain in Everett, Washington, Stonecipher says. The first KC-767 for the USAF, built on Boeing money, has been "set aside" at Everett, with a decision on whether to proceed with the 100-aircraft lease/purchase deal not expected before January. "We said we would take it to the point where it's on its wheels," says Stonecipher, in a interview with Flight International that will appear in the 13-19 July Farnborough Special issue. "Now we are at the point where we can convert it to either a Japanese tanker, an Italian tanker, or a cargo aircraft."
GRAHAM WARWICK / CHICAGO
Source: Flight International