Don't let aircrafts for our Air Force be built by foreign companies

Hawker win is key to 800 jobs in Wichita

BY MOLLY MCMILLIN
The Wichita Eagle

Hawker Beechcraft is competing with Brazil-based Embraer for a U.S. Air Force Light Air Support contract.

The company has put its AT-6 light attack and surveillance aircraft up against Embraer's Super Tucano military aircraft in the bid for the award.

The prize is an initial contract to supply 20 aircraft to two air bases in Afghanistan and another 15 for the Air Force to use in "building partner capability."

But the number could grow to 55 aircraft worth up to $950 million.

"We believe this is the beginning of a production run that is significantly larger than this first 35 aircraft," said Derek Hess, director of light attack for Hawker Beechcraft.

The Air Force estimates a June 30 award date with deliveries beginning in April 2013.

The AT-6 is based on Hawker Beechcraft's turboprop T-6 trainer used to train U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots under the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System contract. Other countries are also using the plane.

The derivative readies the trainer for a new role — combat missions.

The AT-6 is designed for counterinsurgency, close air support, armed overwatch, homeland defense, homeland security and other missions, the company said.

A win would help Hawker Beechcraft's production line for the T-6 stay running.

"That's a key issue," said Jim Maslowski, Hawker Beechcraft president for U.S. and international government business. "This is about sustaining production."

The company has delivered nearly 700 T-6 trainers, including 444 to the Air Force and 123 to the Navy. Others have gone to Greek, Canadian, Iraqi, Israeli and Royal Moroccan air forces and NATO Flying Training in Canada.

Final deliveries to the U.S. Navy under the JPATS program are scheduled to take place in 2015.


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Hawker win is key to 800 jobs in Wichita