[新聞] 美國新一代空軍一號花落誰家? A380 vs. 747-8

[nyrnu (ccc)]

Air Force One Request Could Spark Transatlantic Square-Off

January 12, 2009: 06:31 PM ET


CHICAGO -(Dow Jones)- Airbus and Boeing Co. (BA) could square off soon in one
of the most prestigious aircraft contests, building a new Air Force One for
the president of the U.S.

The new aircraft will not be flying incoming President Barack Obama around,
since the request for proposals issued last week by the U.S. Air Force comes
with a 2017 delivery date for the first of three new aircraft it wants to buy.

However, another transatlantic contest could be heating up, after the U.S.
company, Sikorsky, a unit of Textron Inc. (TXT), lost a long-held contract to
provide Marine One - the presidential helicopter - to an international
consortium. Those aircraft are being designed and built by Finemccanica in
Italy and Agusta-Westland in the U.K., along with lead U.S. partner, Lockheed
Martin Corp. (LMT). As with Air Force One, the helicopters are highly
customized for the president's security and communications needs.

The request from Air Force Materiel Command asked for proposals eventually to
replace the two existing Boeing 747-X00s now serving as Air Force One. The
air force concluded it would be cheaper to buy new jets than maintain the
existing aircraft that currently bear the presidential seal.

Only two manufacturers - Boeing and Airbus, a unit of Franco-German aerospace
group EADS (5730.FR) - make aircraft that are big enough to be converted for
use as Air Force One, according to industry analysts.

Jarrod Bartlett, a Boeing spokesman, said Boeing is preparing to respond to
the initial air force request, but it's too soon to say which of its aircraft
would work best as a platform for the customized Air Force One.

Mary Anne Greczyn, an Airbus spokeswoman, said, "While Airbus would love to
see one of its family members become the new Air Force One, historically it
is unlikely any proposal of ours would be very seriously considered."

Each would be expected to use the biggest aircraft it makes - Boeing's 747-
800, and the Airbus A380, since jumbo-size jets are needed to accommodate the
president, his staff and complex equipment, said Paul Nisbet, president of
JSA Research, an aerospace consultancy. "You have to have room for the
president and a sizable entourage, with private space for them as well. If
anything, you would want something bigger than what they have now."

The air force didn't suggest how much the aircraft will cost, but the price
is expected to be higher than the existing planes, which cost $350 million
each.

Late last year, the helicopter contractors received an additional $500
million in funding to continue working on the program. The total contract,
for more than 20 helicopters, could wind up being worth $15 billion to $20
billion, nearly twice the original estimate, Nisbet said. Sikorsky, which had
held the helicopter contract for 46 years, lost out despite heavy lobbying to
keep the work solely in the hands of a U.S. company.

Last year, Boeing and Airbus reached a stalemate in the $40 billion Air Force
competition to replace its aging fleet of refueling tankers. Accused by the
Defense Department of bungling the contracting process, when it first awarded
the job to Airbus, then agreed with a protest by Boeing - a red-faced Air
Force plans to start the bidding all over again.

"A few years ago, I would have thought it very, very unlikely that Airbus
could win a bid for Air Force One. But, given what's happened with the
tankers, it could be conceivable that the Air Force would give Boeing the new
tanker contract, and then offer Air Force One as a sop to Airbus," Nisbet
said.

In fact, he said, the A380, which is larger than the biggest 747 model now
available, could be a good choice for the presidential plane.


http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/
200901121831DOWJONESDJONLINE000667_FORTUNE5.htm

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