Boeing unveils China Airlines 747-400 in distinctive livery

The newest Boeing 747-400 gleams in the sun after leaving the company's Everett, Wash., paint facility last month. Destined for delivery to Taiwan-based China Airlines, the 747-400 features a unique promotional paint scheme. Combining Boeing's new dynamic blue-and-white livery with China Airlines' traditional plum blossom tail marking, the special limited-time design symbolizes the strong relationship between the two companies. The airplane is the first 747-400 with the Boeing Signature Interior, which provides unrivaled comfort for airline passengers. China Airlines will take delivery of the new airplane early this month.

BOEING, IBM BRIEF TECH ANALYSTS ON NEW COLLABORATION

About 100 information technology industry analysts got a taste Nov. 9 of how Boeing and IBM are collaborating to provide network-centric operations solutions to meet emerging military, intelligence and homeland security requirements.

Analysts at IBM's "On Demand Business" conference in Rye Book, N.Y., were briefed on the strategic rationale for establishing the long-term strategic alliance between Boeing and IBM, and on Boeing's competencies in large-scale systems integration and network-centric operations. NCO links ground, air and space elements within a common architecture, giving users real-time information with which to make decisions and take action.

On Sept. 20, Boeing and IBM announced a 10-year strategic alliance to address an estimated $200 billion market in military communications, intelligence, and homeland security. The companies will develop advanced digital communications technologies for the U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence-community ground- and space-based systems.

ITALIAN 767 TANKER PROGRAM HITS MILESTONES, GETS REASSURANCE

The Italian Ministry of Defense has tabbed its Boeing 767 tankers as one of the priority programs in ongoing discussions on its proposed 2005 budget, according to Defense News.

Despite the 7.5 percent increase over 2004 spending initially proposed by the Italian Defense Ministry, the current budget draft includes significant cuts that may preclude the launch of any new programs in 2005.

Meanwhile, the Boeing 767 Tanker team this fall celebrated the completion of Critical Design Review for Italy's new 767 Tanker, and the delivery of the program's first next-generation Remote Aerial Refueling Operator station.

The review covered all aspects of the tanker's structure, support equipment, electrical systems and avionics, including the next-generation aerial refueling system.

"We're extremely proud of the great engineering work that has brought us to this critical part of building the 767 Tanker," said KC-767 Tanker Vice President Jim O'Neill. "With the expertise and commitment I've seen on this program, we're putting together a very capable and dependable air refueler for our customers."

The first next-generation Remote Aerial Refueling Operator station for the Italian 767 Tanker program was assembled in Long Beach, Calif., and shipped to Wichita, Kan., where it will be integrated with other hardware and software and components.

FT. WALTON BEACH BLANKETED WITH NETWORK-CENTRIC OPS TRAINING

The Special Operations Forces Aerospace Support Center in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., recently became the first Boeing site where key leaders from all resident programs have taken Strategic Architecture's training on network-centric operations. Strategic Architecture is part of Integrated Defense Systems.

The program manager, chief program engineer and business development lead of all resident programs on site have completed Strategic Architecture's Minimum Level of Interoperability training course, a tailored introduction to Boeing's vision of NCO. Ft. Walton Beach, part of IDS' Aerospace Support business unit, has some 605 workers.

"The Special Operations Forces Aerospace Support Center is a significant Boeing site with numerous efforts under way to modify critical military aircraft such as the C-130 gunship," said Strategic Architecture NCO Program Support Director Joe Saad. "Aircraft modification programs present a unique opportunity to add NCO capabilities to existing platforms, so we are extremely pleased to be able to reach all of the site's key programs and leaders with our NCO training."