Mil aircraft's $2.8b connection - Connect with Fleck

Electronic News, May 27, 2002 by Ken Fleck

How does military aircraft impact the connector business? There is about a $2.8 billion impact. This article examines the military aircraft connector market, which is subdivided between fighter aircraft, surveillance aircraft, transports, helicopters, tankers, trainers, aircraft upgrades and electronic upgrades associated with aircraft. Total demand for connectors, cable assemblies and backplanes for aircraft delivered in 2001 and all contracts released to date in 2002 is $2.8 billion worldwide.

Fighter aircraft represent the largest market demand for connectors, cable assemblies and backplanes, including aircraft delivered in the year 2001 and all contracts released to date in 2002. In the United States, the Department of Defense has released contracts for 22F-35s, 13F-22s, 48F-18s and 10F-15Es. Export orders have totaled an additional 78F-16s and 10F-15s. In Europe, there are contracts for 78 Eurofighter DA4s, 20 Jaguar GR 3as, five Gripens and 10 Cougar EC-725s. In Japan, there are orders for F-1, F-15J, F-2 and F-4EJ. In total, this accounts for 317 aircraft, projected at $1.2 billion worldwide for connectors, cable assemblies and backplanes. This includes not only the aircraft, but avionics, countermeasures, radar, detection and target identification black boxes (as do the following figures for other aircraft categories.)

There are 121 surveillance aircraft worldwide delivered in 2001, or contracts issued to date in 2002. In the United States, this includes 26E-2Cs, two Global Hawks, six Predators, 30 Scan Eagles, 11 VTUA Vs and other surveillance aircraft including E-8C, AWACS, RC-7B, X-47A, EA-6B, R4-8A, C-17, Deepwater and Vector X-31. Exported from the United States are AWACS, P-3, OAV and RQ-8A. In Europe, additionally, there are the ASTOR and NIMROD MR-A4. In other regions of the world, surveillance aircraft include AEW & C (WedgeTail), EMB 145MP and AT-63 PAMPA. The total demand for connectors, cable assemblies and backplanes is $72 million.

There are 152 transports worldwide delivered in 2001 or contracts issued to date in 2002. In North America, this includes 15 C-17s, three C-130Js, 21 C-40As, 10 Canadiar 4l5s, as well as C-32B. Exports from the United States are four C-17s. In Europe, 15 A-400s, 23 C-235s, 24 C-27Js, 15 EC-235s as well as C-295s and C-212s. In South America, there are eight C-101s, four C-212s, three CASA CN235s and one C-115. The total demand for connectors, cable assemblies and backplanes is projected at $174 million.

There are 331 helicopters worldwide delivered in 2001 or contracts issued to date in 2002. In the United States, this includes 60 AH-64, 15 RAH-66, 13 CH-60, 12 UH-60, 12 V-22, nine Hawk MK-115, seven Cormorants, six Deepwaters and one U.S. 101. Exports include nine AH-64D, six LAMPS Mark III, SH-6013 and three CH-47D. In Europe, there are 50 UHT-Tigers, 31 NH-90, 30 Ecureuil/Fennell, 23 EC-120B Colibas, 11 EC-135, 10 Dauphin/Panthers, 10 EC-155, three EC-117 and one each EH-101 and AS-532 W2. In Japan, these include UH-60JA, UH-60, SH-60J, HSS-213 and MH-53E. These account for $940 million worldwide.

There are seven tankers identified, which have been delivered in 2001 or contracts issued to date in 2002. These include four KC-130J and three tanker conversions from C-130H to C-130E. The total demand for connectors, cable assemblies and backplanes is $13 million, including the aircraft and avionics, radar, detection and target identification black boxes. There are 56 trainers delivered in 2001 or contracts released to date in 2002. The largest program is JPATS, accounting for 48 aircraft.

Fleck Research can be contacted at (714) 953-9000 or at www.fleckresearch.com Web site.