Is Hawker Beechcraft an American company?

Flightglobal ^ | 5/17/2011 | Stephen Trimble

[DefenseMatters]

Is Hawker Beechcraft an American company?

By Stephen Trimble

Loren Thompson argues in a blog last week there are two competitors for the US Air Force contract for a light attack armed reconnaissance (LAAR) aircraft: "An American plane made by Hawker Beechcraft designated the AT-6, and a Brazilian plane made by Embraer designated the EMB-314."

This is a bad thing, according to Thompson. "The fact the Air Force is even entertaining a bid from Brazil tells us that this Pentagon is out of touch with economic realities."

I won't argue with his conclusion, but the facts need a little clarity.

The AT-6 may be an "American plane", but Hawker Beechcraft is not truly an American company.

Hawker, of course, is a brand invented in the UK, which migrated across the Atlantic in the early 1980s when British Aerospace sold its business jet division to Beechcraft. That business was later acquired by Raytheon. Two decades later, the brand Hawker Beechcraft was invented when Raytheon sold the business to two investors -- Goldman Sachs and Toronto-based Onex.

In fact, Hawker Beechcraft is at least a half-Canadian company, with half of its product line-up from the United Kingdom.

[UPDATE: I actually forgot the most important point. Thompson writes that the AT-6 is an American aircraft. The AT-6, of course, was not designed by Beechcraft. It was developed on license from the Pilatus PC-9. Last I checked, Pilatus is still based in Stans, Switzerland, which is about 275km from where I'm typing this sentence at the Geneva convention center.]

Meanwhile, Hawker chief executive Bill Boisture is here in Geneva, Switzerland, where I'm covering the EBACE show. He addressed reporters this morning, and noted the company's interest in the LAAR contract.

[I cannot think of a name]

The AT-6, of course, was not designed by Beechcraft. It was developed on license from the Pilatus PC-9.

You would be hard pressed to find one (1) part from a PC-9 that interchanges with an AT-6. Another dumb management idea from the 90’s. Buying a license for an aircraft that was essentially totally redesigned to meet the Air Force requirements. And it should have been a jet rather than a turboprop anyway.

[kbennkc]

Don’t supply my brothers and sisters in uniform with a lesser craft just to keep union thugs employed.
Until aircraft manufacturing is nationalized or fascism directs the industry, we don’t have American companies. If you want Hawker Beech or any company to be to be American start buying stock.

[Amberdawn]

Our M-1 (?) tank is built by union labor.

[bdfromlv]

my brother-in-law works for beechcraft in wichita and yes it is unionized but Kansas is a right to work state

[Kenny Bunk]

The Embraer unit is already a proven unit, is performing well in a number of COIN efforts, and is cheap. It will be built here in the US, just like a Honda Civic, or BMW Convertible, with locally sourced parts and materials, assembled by Americans.

My real question is combat doctrine. Just where is it in the scheme of things that this splendid aircraft is supposed to fit and what is it supposed to do? Is it going to be integrated at the platoon level, with every platoon having a designated FAC. IOW, on every op is there going to be a group of these loitering overhead awaiting direction? Watsa story?

Before committing to this concept, why not just buy 25 of these off-the-shelf units and try them out? As far as choosing one over the other, why not go with the one that is available, just as many Americans will be working, either way. If we need this capability, we need it. So, let's get it.

[troy McClure]

How about a plasne made in Texas?

The Air Truck AT-802U’s debut at the Paris International Air Show has everyone talking; that show runs today until June 21.

Reports describe the plane as follows:

“A new single-engine turboprop utility aircraft prototype …[that] will be configured for a military direct fire support role in asymmetrical warfare theatres of operation. The Air Truck AT-802U, manufactured by a division of agriculturtal plane manufacturer, Air Tractor, Inc., is being marketed as a versatile aerial platform designed to perform counter-insurgency close air support and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The AT-802U is based on the popular Air Tractor AT-802 but has been significantly modified for a light attack capability against fixed, stationary and moving soft targets. “

Says Flight Global:

“Featuring an armoured fuselage, a 10hr loiter time and the ability to haul more than 8,000lb of payload, unarmed AT-802Us have been operated by the US State Department in South America since 2002 eradicating drug crops”

Air Tractor says of its aircraft the following:

“Air Tractor produces the world’s most extensive product line of ag aircraft, with eight type-certified Air Tractor models in current production from which to choose. Whether the job is spraying, seeding, fertilizing, or firefighting, more operators choose Air Tractor because they get the most productive, highest quality and cost-effective ag planes available anywhere, at any price. And operators know they can rely upon Air Tractor’s worldwide dealer network for service, parts and support.”

Online: http://www.airtractor.com/

[Tucker39]

Hawker-Siddley was a Brit outfit. The guys around the local hangar used to laughingly call it “Hawker-Smedley.” Some years ago Raytheon, who owned Beechcraft, and Hawker kind-of jumped in bed together. As far as I know, the manufacturing takes place in Witchita, so I guess it’s pretty much a US company. The HAWKER part was retained because it gave instant cred in European circles for their business jets, etc.

[Kenny Bunk]

Now that looks like a very useful, practical, cost-effective solution to whatever the heck the problem is that a LAAR is supposed to address.

However, the words "useful, practical, cost-effective, and solution," are anathema to the USAF. The fact that Air Tractor could deliver the planes in 30 days will also be held against them.

Nice try Air Tractor! But our boys in blue insist on at least 4-7 years of R&D, a plane that can carry 10 tons of ordnance, has handicap-accessible rest rooms, is capable of Mach 2, has a 24-hour loiter time w/o refuelingl, can carry 24 fully armed Marines, each with a K-9, and a light armored vehicle, can land in 50 yards, take off in 100 yards in high timber, has an HUD display, is nuclear capable, and costs under $500 million per copy. Get right on that guys. Clean sheet of paper.

[Oztrich Boy]

Also EMBRAER's North American manufacturing facility is in Melbourne, Florida.

Hawker Beechcraft's is in Chihuahua, Mexico.

[DefenseMatters]

Hawker Beechcraft is a full employment program for Mexico. They have been killing union jobs in Kansas as fast as they can. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/article.aspx?liArticleID=353752&PrinterFriendly=true

The A-29 Super Tucano will be built in Jacksonville, FL, by American workers with parts from American companies and training on the aircraft will be provided in Clovis, NM. More than 60 U.S. suppliers in 19 states will supply parts or services for this contract. At least 1,200 U.S. jobs will be supported through this contract.

If jobs are the issue people are concerned about then they should take a careful look at Hawker Beechcraft and what it is doing in Mexico. Since 2007, the company has been shifting production and employment from Kansas to Chihuahua, Mexico. Last October, HBC CEO Bill Boisture announced the layoffs of more than 1,000 employees at its Kansas facilities, most of them Machinist union workers. A few months later, at the opening of the company’s second Mexican facility, he extolled the talents of HBC’s Mexican workers: “We have seen a high-level of quality and craftsmanship from the country’s skilled work force and have great confidence in their ability to assume additional responsibilities in the manufacturing process.” HBC plans to open a third facility in Mexico later this year.

Great info here: www.builtforthemission.com