Boeing and Paramount Group announced on 16 September that they have deepened their two-month-old relationship by launching two collaborative projects, but both sides are still keeping the details quiet.
“We are working forward two very specific projects that will be announced in due course,” says Paramount Group founder Ivor Ichikowitz, speaking at a press conference at the company’s booth at the African Aerospace and Defence airshow.
The projects involve aviation-related technologies, but neither side wants to publicize the specific details until they become more mature, says Paul Oliver, Boeing’s vice-president of business development for the Middle East and Africa.
Paramount is currently developing a range of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) inherited through the acquisition of South Africa-based ATE last year. It also testing the advanced high performance reconnaissance light aircraft (AHRLAC), a single-engined light attack fighter and trainer.
“We are looking at AHRLAC,” says Oliver. “I don’t think you’re going to see anything where Boeing is building AHRLAC in the United States, but potentially we could be a partner in some other form or fashion.”
The collaboration is also intended to inject Boeing products into Paramount’s business, he says.
So far, Boeing has revealed no further plans for expanding in the South African market.
“There’s a lot of African industry that’s very capable,” Olivery says. “i don’t want it to look like Boeing’s coming in and Boeing’s competing with them. I want it to look collaborative, and the way to do that is to partner.”
Source: FlightGlobal.com
