Parker Aerospace Awarded System By Boeing For Navy's P-8A Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft

Irvine, CA - Parker Aerospace's Control Systems Division and Curtiss-Wright Controls have been awarded the weapons bay door drive system (WBDDS) for the U.S. Navy's P-8A Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) now being developed by The Boeing Company.

Parker Aerospace and Curtiss-Wright partnered for the WBDDS and won the contract as part of a "best value" solution for Boeing.

Boeing is developing the P-8A MMA, a long-range, anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. A derivative of the 737-800, the P-8A will replace the Navy's aging fleet of P-3 aircraft.

The weapons bay door drive system allows the aircraft to open and close doors located on the bottom of the aircraft in order to deploy weapons.

As program lead for this new project, Parker is responsible for system integration and delivery of the complete hydro-mechanical system. Parker is designing and developing the hydraulic control module, hydraulic power drive unit, uplocks, sensors, electronic control unit, and all WBDDS integration and qualification requirements. Curtiss-Wright is providing rotary gear actuators, angle gearboxes, torque tubes, locking mechanisms and position sensing components on the system.

"The partnership between Parker and Curtiss-Wright brings together over 100 years of combined expertise in electronic control, system integration, and hydraulic and mechanical drive systems," said Parker Control Systems Division Director of Marketing Brooke Mead. "We are proud to be working together to provide this critical system for Boeing and the U.S. Navy."

The Navy plans to buy 108 MMAs, and additional international sales are anticipated. The first aircraft is slated for testing in 2009.

SOURCE: Parker Hannifin Corp.