Boeing said on Monday it will design and develop military aircraft, including unmanned vehicles, in Australia — the first time in its 100 year history it has done so outside the United States.
The first military aircraft to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years will mean hundreds of jobs, local supply opportunities and defence industry stimulus for the key U.S. ally in the South Pacific.
The move to offshore production follows a similar announcement back in June when Boeing India executives said the corporation’s new Bengaluru, India, campus will get a $200 million boost and will be the largest Boeing facility outside the U.S. in coming years.
Simultaneously, Boeing employment in Washington state, alone, has been cut by more than 12,000 since 2013.
Boeing unveiled its model of the unmanned aerial vehicle, named Loyal Wingman, at a ceremony launching the partnership between Boeing Australia, 35 component companies and the Australian state of Queensland.
“The creation of additional new aerospace capability could see unmanned defense aircraft produced here by the middle of the decade, with prototype testing and certification taking place before that,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said at the ceremony.
Boeing Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific president Brendan Nelson said the Australian partnership to develop an advanced manufacturing capability was a significant milestone.
“It’s one that will build cutting-edge skills to stimulate the innovation ecosystem in Queensland,” he said.
“This includes introducing technologies such as advanced robotics; investment in universities, small-to-medium enterprises and start-up companies; as well as creating global export opportunities for Australia’s supply chain.”
The state of Queensland, in northeastern Australia, is regarded as a major hub in the country’s aerospace industry. A Boeing statement on Monday noted the company has 1,700 local employees supporting 400 suppliers.
The Loyal Wingman prototype on display Monday is 38 feet long and will be able to fly more than 2,000 nautical miles, according to Boeing.
It includes sensor packages, onboard supporting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and is capable of tactical early warning missions.
As Breitbart News reported, Boeing profits hugely from American taxpayer money despite its push for more offshore contracting in India and now Australia.
In 2017, the company noted that about 79 percent of its profits came from government contracts with the U.S. federal government. In 2018, Boeing saved $230 million in taxes thanks to tax breaks offered by Washington state.
UPI contributed to this story
Follow Simon Kent on Twitter: Follow @SunSimonKent or e-mail to: skent@breitbart.com
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/hFea4b8gFDo/