Aviation News, Boeing, Airbus

Finneran: Two factors have really led to the situation you describe. First, we in the defense industry realized that no company has all the expertise needed to provide the capabilities our customers require at the cost our customers can afford. Teaming is the only way to leverage strengths from across the industry to achieve everybody’s goal– the best equipment for America and its allies at affordable prices.

Second, in an era of declining military spending there aren’t enough projects for any of us in the defense industry to go it alone. If you’re not willing to team, which often means cooperating on one program with a company you are competing against on another, you’ll quickly realize that your company’s potential business base is a lot smaller than it would be if you were teaming.

What are the principal benefits for industry and the U.S. taxpayer of such teaming arrangements?

By sharing best practices among industrial partners the teams provide our customers with products that best meet their needs at the lowest possible cost. By working together we increase the quality of our products while reducing costs. Boeing has a great deal of experience with this. On programs like the Joint Strike Fighter, Super Hornet [F/A– 18E/F strike fighter], V-22 [Osprey tiltrotor aircraft], Comanche [RAH-66 light-attack helicopter], and others we prove on a daily basis just how powerful teaming arrangements can be.