mpenguin1
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http://www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/cover1.html
Here are portions of the story.
Under the MMA contract, Boeing will supply the U.S. Navy with the next generation of submarine-hunting planes. A Boeing 737-800 aircraft (modified with -900 wings) will serve as the platform to replace the Navy’s current anti-submarine patrol aircraft, the Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion.
In order to demonstrate the 737 airframe could fly the mission and that its systems were well suited to the mission, Boeing looked at the Navy’s requirements and then explored the possibilities and solutions.
Once team members were convinced the 737 could fly the mission and provide capabilities the customer had not even imagined, they believed they had a winning proposal—if they could convince the Navy, the analysts and the media.
But, there were skeptics. How could a 737 be less expensive than an upgraded P-3, Lockheed Martin’s planned submission? And how could a 737 fly the low missions that were part of maritime patrol operations?
Again, Boeing team members worked together to provide substantiating engineering data on the proposal, which included wind tunnel tests conducted at Boeing’s expense. They created and showed computer simulations and videos at air and trade shows. They made presentations to multiple groups and had ongoing conversations with key decision makers.
Their most compelling argument was to fly Navy P-3 pilots and members of the media on two 737 Boeing Business Jet trips to prove that the 737 could perform all required maneuvers.
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The job wasn’t complete, however. There was still a need to make this increased capability affordable. Boeing easily could demonstrate that there was an existing spare parts system for the aircraft. Support centers in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia facilitate spare parts distribution for more than 10,000 Boeing aircraft worldwide. Boeing could also solidly back up its assertion that the 737 could get on station faster and stay on station longer than the P-3. The company had reams of data on the reliability of the aircraft’s engines, and could demonstrate the open-system architecture the Navy needed for the mission system.
By doing so, Boeing was able to make MMA more affordable. “They (BCA) have well-developed assembly processes,” Zerr said. “We will get the same product, product, with a less risky assembly process at a lower price.” Under this production plan, the Boeing MMA team expects to save a year in the assembly process and field aircraft for the Navy by 2012 instead of the required service date of 2013.
What were the factors that enabled Boeing to capture MMA? Jim Albaugh, Boeing IDS president and CEO, cited the incredible reliability of the 737—better than 99 percent in commercial service—as a key factor in the win.
“As soon as the first 737 MMA aircraft are delivered to the Navy, our nation’s naval forces will have a dramatic increase in capability and reliability,” he said. The Navy’s stated requirement for reliability is 90 percent, much higher than the existing availability rate of approximately 60 percent for the P-3s.
Value was another of the reasons the Navy cited in awarding the contract to Boeing. At a news conference to announce the contract award, John Young, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, said Boeing offered a slightly lower cost for development than Lockheed Martin.
Young emphasized, however, that cost was not the only consideration. He said the company’s record of managing aircraft programs and delivering aircraft on time tipped the competition in Boeing’s favor, and the 737 offered space and flexibility that the Orion 21 could not match.
“Additionally, the new 737 aircraft offers a modern, highly reliable airframe, which will be equipped with improved maritime surveillance and attack capability, allowing a smaller force to provide worldwide responsiveness,” Young said.
Because of the 737’s proven reliability, the Navy expects to buy 108 MMAs to replace more than 200 existing P-3s.
http://www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/cover1.html
Here are portions of the story.
Under the MMA contract, Boeing will supply the U.S. Navy with the next generation of submarine-hunting planes. A Boeing 737-800 aircraft (modified with -900 wings) will serve as the platform to replace the Navy’s current anti-submarine patrol aircraft, the Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion.
In order to demonstrate the 737 airframe could fly the mission and that its systems were well suited to the mission, Boeing looked at the Navy’s requirements and then explored the possibilities and solutions.
Once team members were convinced the 737 could fly the mission and provide capabilities the customer had not even imagined, they believed they had a winning proposal—if they could convince the Navy, the analysts and the media.
But, there were skeptics. How could a 737 be less expensive than an upgraded P-3, Lockheed Martin’s planned submission? And how could a 737 fly the low missions that were part of maritime patrol operations?
Again, Boeing team members worked together to provide substantiating engineering data on the proposal, which included wind tunnel tests conducted at Boeing’s expense. They created and showed computer simulations and videos at air and trade shows. They made presentations to multiple groups and had ongoing conversations with key decision makers.
Their most compelling argument was to fly Navy P-3 pilots and members of the media on two 737 Boeing Business Jet trips to prove that the 737 could perform all required maneuvers.
<font color="blue"> </font>
The job wasn’t complete, however. There was still a need to make this increased capability affordable. Boeing easily could demonstrate that there was an existing spare parts system for the aircraft. Support centers in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia facilitate spare parts distribution for more than 10,000 Boeing aircraft worldwide. Boeing could also solidly back up its assertion that the 737 could get on station faster and stay on station longer than the P-3. The company had reams of data on the reliability of the aircraft’s engines, and could demonstrate the open-system architecture the Navy needed for the mission system.
By doing so, Boeing was able to make MMA more affordable. “They (BCA) have well-developed assembly processes,” Zerr said. “We will get the same product, product, with a less risky assembly process at a lower price.” Under this production plan, the Boeing MMA team expects to save a year in the assembly process and field aircraft for the Navy by 2012 instead of the required service date of 2013.
What were the factors that enabled Boeing to capture MMA? Jim Albaugh, Boeing IDS president and CEO, cited the incredible reliability of the 737—better than 99 percent in commercial service—as a key factor in the win.
“As soon as the first 737 MMA aircraft are delivered to the Navy, our nation’s naval forces will have a dramatic increase in capability and reliability,” he said. The Navy’s stated requirement for reliability is 90 percent, much higher than the existing availability rate of approximately 60 percent for the P-3s.
Value was another of the reasons the Navy cited in awarding the contract to Boeing. At a news conference to announce the contract award, John Young, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, said Boeing offered a slightly lower cost for development than Lockheed Martin.
Young emphasized, however, that cost was not the only consideration. He said the company’s record of managing aircraft programs and delivering aircraft on time tipped the competition in Boeing’s favor, and the 737 offered space and flexibility that the Orion 21 could not match.
“Additionally, the new 737 aircraft offers a modern, highly reliable airframe, which will be equipped with improved maritime surveillance and attack capability, allowing a smaller force to provide worldwide responsiveness,” Young said.
Because of the 737’s proven reliability, the Navy expects to buy 108 MMAs to replace more than 200 existing P-3s.
