EVENDALE, OHIO - The Italian Air Force has selected GE Aircraft Engines' (GEAE) CF6-80C2 engine to power four Boeing 767 Global Tanker Transports.
The value of the engine order, based on the manufacturer's list price, is approximately $80 million. The Italian Air Force will take delivery of its first 767 Global Tanker Transport in 2005.
"This represents another milestone for the CF6-80C2 engine in the military aircraft market," said Andy Solem, general manager of Turbofan and Turbojet Programs at GEAE's Military Engine Operations. "The Boeing 767 Global Tanker Transport is a new and very important program and we look forward to supporting the aircraft for many decades to come."
The 767 Tanker Transport is competing for a global market estimated at approximately 500 aircraft over the next 30 years, according to The Boeing Company. To date, the 767 Tanker Transport has been selected by Italy and Japan in head-to-head competitions for new air-refueling aircraft.
The Italian selection of the CF6-80C2 is the latest in a series of significant wins for the engine in the military sector. In February, GEAE received a contract for the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the U.S. Air Force C-5 Galaxy Reliability and Enhancement and Re-engining Program. The CF6-80C2 was selected for the program, which could ultimately result in the production of 504 engines for the C-5 Galaxy over the next several decades.
In 1998, the first 767 AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft, powered by the CF6-80C2, entered operational service with the Japan Defense Agency.
In commercial service since 1985, the CF6-80C2 is the world's best-selling engine for wide-body commercial aircraft. Because of its industry-leading reliability and performance, the CF6-80C2 powers the U.S. Government's Air Force One.
GE Aircraft Engines, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is the world's leading manufacturer of jet engines for civil and military aircraft, including engines produced by CFM International, a 50/50 joint company of Snecma Moteurs of France and GE. GEAE also manufactures gas turbines, derived from its highly successful jet engine programs, for marine and industrial applications. In addition, GEAE provides comprehensive maintenance support, through its GE Engine Services operation, for GE and non-GE jet engines in service throughout the world. Visit GEAE online at http://www.geae.com.