ST Aero: A Global Company Supporting Global Companies

The Singapore Technologies Engineering exhibit naturally takes pride of place in the exhibition halls at Asian Aerospace, but it would be an error to assume that its Aerospace unit (ST Aero) is 'just' a Singaporean company. The world map overlooking the company's extensive exhibit is liberally, but evenly, marked with the names and locations of ST Aero's clients-from Alaska to New Zealand-many of them quite big names in global aerospace.

This theme of a world-class player dealing with prestigious companies was developed by Singapore Technologies Aerospace president Tay Kok Khiang when describing his company's major ventures to Show News. With subsidiaries in Australia, France, the UK and the U.S., ST Aero has almost half its 4,600 workforce abroad and is actively seeking further opportunities for expansion.

Will that be in Singapore or overseas? Tay has no preconceived ideas. "We will expand wherever the customers are," is his reply. Furthermore, the company is likely to continue to gain large clients as a means of reinforcing its already strong customer base.

Examples of ST Aero's handiwork are open to view in the Singapore Pavilion. The cockpit of a Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon shows a fully integrated upgrade for this fighter which is offered as a compliment to new-build versions offered by the manufacturer. Adaptable to any customer's needs for any F-16 sub-variant, the upgrade uses top-of-the-range, open market avionics selected from suppliers around the world.

Tay's company also has produced a new cockpit for the Eurocopter Super Puma, replacing the old-style dials with modern glass screen displays, including a moving map and optional provision for an electronic warfare defensive suite and even air-launched missiles. Significantly, the Republic of Singapore Air Force is a major user of the Super Puma, but the obvious deal has not yet been negotiated.

ST Aero has established good working relationships with the world's largest aerospace manufacturers, says Tay. The company played a part in designing the fast-selling Eurocopter EC 120, which is on display in the static park, and recently worked alongside Boeing at Wichita on a freighter conversion of the 757 airliner. First examples of an anticipated 200 sales are now in the hands of DHL, which has a requirement for 34.

Conversion of 757s is undertaken at Mobile, Alabama. ST Aero is now such a major employer in Mobile that the local Airport Authority is hosting a reception here to thank Tay'company for its contribution to the local economy.-Paul Jackson