PETER LA FRANCHI / CANBERRA
Report urges government to fund aircraft development
Australia's aerospace industry is targeting revenues of A$3.5 billion ($2.1 billion) a year over the next decade through a national exports drive as part of a new sector blueprint shortly to go before the Australian Cabinet.
A draft version of the blueprint obtained by Flight International urges the government to pursue equity involvement in the development of new-generation commercial airliners and military aircraft programmes modelled on the US Joint Strike Fighter programme.
The draft report Partnering in the Global Context calls for federal government funding of a research centre for aerospace technologies, and an unmanned air vehicle capability demonstrator project to show national aerospace industry capability.
The final report, being prepared by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources, will call for "special" government support for local industry participation in Boeing's 7E7 mid-size widebody airliner programme. The draft had sought similar arrangements for involvement in Boeing's Sonic Cruiser.
The draft report says: "For Australia to effectively capture the substantial net economic returns accruing from investment in major international aircraft projects, and associated technological benefits, the government needs to recognise the strong role it can play by becoming an investor in these projects.
"The government also needs to consider mechanisms that recognise the key feature of aerospace developments - overseas-based international projects, of which a significant economic portion can be undertaken within Australia."
The draft says while Australia accounts for 1% of global aerospace activity, the local sector "could increase its annual exports fivefold to $3.5 billion by 2012 through equity stakes in new (or derivative) aerospace platforms. Opportunities in new platforms are few, and Australia missed several in the development of the Airbus A380."
The draft recommends Australia uses its future military aerospace acquisition programmes "as leverage to sustain strategic industry capabilities in both the civil and military sectors". It identifies involvement in the JSF Systems Design and Development phase as a model for participation in other international military programmes.
Source: Flight International
