Messier-Dowty is to open a design office in Seattle. The world's leading landing gear specialist, which has extensive operations in France, Canada and the UK, is pushing to increase its links with Boeing's commercial and military operations. Apart from a small share of 777 work, the Snecma-owned company has failed to break into civil programmes, although it has made military inroads, providing landing gear for Boeing's Joint Strike Fighter design.
Source: Flight International
Saab’s Aeronautics business unit enjoyed a strong first-quarter performance, with highlights including a Gripen C sale to Hungary and the transfer of a first Saab 340-based airborne early warning aircraft to Poland.
The Raider X prototype, built for the US Army’s now-cancelled Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft programme, features the new GE Aerospace T901 Improved Turbine Engine that will eventually be fitted into the army’s UH-60 Black Hawk fleet.
Croatia’s first six of 12 Dassault Aviation Rafales were transferred to Velika Gorica near Zagreb on 25 April.
