Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) has closed its Taiwan office and is increasing its focus on potential procurements in South-East Asia. Vice-president of business development for Asia-Pacific Mark Kronenberg says the decision to close the IDS office at the Taipei World Trade Centre is not political and has “more to do with consolidation and where the business opportunities are”.
Boeing’s IDS unit has gradually downsized its Taipei office over the last few years because the Taiwanese military market has been slow, with all major acquisitions held up by political wrangling or budget constraints. The one remaining Taipei-based IDS executive relocated to Singapore earlier this year and still handles Taiwan, including its long-delayed competition for new attack helicopters, but is also pursuing business in other countries including the Philippines and Thailand.
“We’ve identified opportunities in South-East Asia. Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines are small markets, but there are opportunities there,” says Kronenberg.
He says there is a lot of regional interest in the CH-47 Chinook.Indonesia has been looking at acquiring secondhand CH-47Ds through the US Army’s Cargo Helicopter Airframe Procurement Support (CHAPS) programme since the December 2004 tsunami. The Philippines is another potential candidate for CHAPS as well as Rockwell OV-10 upgrades. Thailand, which is currently only flying one of its Chinooks, is looking at adding an in-country maintenance capability to help reactivate several aircraft.
Kronenberg says IDS is also increasing its focus on India, where it has opened a corporate office to support several campaigns including for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Chinook and P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft. Several US defence contractors have opened offices in New Delhi since US-Indian relations started warming up last year, including Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky.
BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
