MAKO MoU Is a Major Milestone

EADS has signed five new MoUs with potential partners on its Mako advanced trainer/light attack aircraft. On Monday agreements were inked with Snecma, France (M88-2 engines), BAE Systems, UK (FCS and other control systems), BGT/Diehl, Germany (computer and weapons systems, and training aids), APPH Precision Hydraulics, UK (landing gear and hydraulics) and Fairey Hydraulics/FHL, UK (flight control system actuation).

This follows on from the MoUs signed with Honeywell, General Electric, Eurojet/MTU and Computing Devices at IDEX earlier this year. Mako is an EADS-lead program in partnership with the UAE, with the latter co-operating on the definition of Mako's design and capabilities.

Another milestone in the project is the unveiling of the Mako cockpit systems demonstrator here at Paris. According to Aloysius Rauen, president and CEO of EADS military aircraft, "When we last visited IDEX in Abu Dhabi, we agreed with the UAE-a potential launch customer-that we would launch this cockpit demo at Paris. It was very important to have it running here if people were to start taking it seriously."

Rauen noted that he thought some people were taking it very seriously indeed, judging by the amount of "noise" his competitors were making. "Suddenly were are hearing statements about us from the MiG-AT people, the Italians, even the United States. You don't get a reaction like that if there is nothing to react against. I think it shows they are taking it damn seriously," he said. Our next milestone will be at Dubai, in November. Then we want to be ready to tell our potential customers that we are ready to fly a demonstrator, a test bed, to show some of the things we have in mind for Mako, especially the cockpit."

As for what the MoUs actually mean in terms of financial support for the Mako, Rauen pointed out that the UAE has not yet made a financial commitment to the project. "Right now the costs lie where they fall," he said "everyone is paying their own way at this stage."

Discussing the schedule for the Mako project, Rauen said "we plan to fly the first prototype in 2005, and if you calculate backwards from then, you can figure out when we will cut the first metal. The project is driven by our market analysis, which tells us that by 2008 there will be significant demand for a new advanced trainer, with a substantial number of types leaving the active fleet. We will be ready to meet those market needs. We will not launch the Mako on our own however, we must have a firm customer and a minimum number of orders-though I won't tell you what that number is."