Paris Air Show Briefs

LE BOURGET, France -- The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus does not need state aid for the launch of the A350 airliner intended to compete with the Boeing 787 but would be happy to have it, company President Noel Forgeard said yesterday.

Speaking on the opening day at Le Bourget airfield, Forgeard said: "We have the money, anyway, on our own cash flow."

He told a news conference: "This doesn't mean that we shall spit on any form of support that could be jointly agreed by the European Union and the United States."

Rolls-Royce gets Air China orders

Rolls-Royce said yesterday it had received an order from Chinese carrier Air China for Trent 700 aircraft engines worth about $800 million.

The new engines are destined for Air China's new fleet of Airbus A330-200s, the British company said.

The order includes a long-term service agreement, Rolls-Royce said.

Raytheon to work on anti-missile system

Raytheon Co. is set to disclose today that it is joining the effort to protect commercial aircraft from shoulder-fired missiles with a new technology: a system of infrared sensors and microwave beams that would shield airports and divert missiles away from planes.

According to The Boston Globe, the Vigilant Eagle system would position a grid of infrared sensors on cell-phone towers and buildings around airports.

When it detected a heat-seeking missile launched at a passenger jet, it would steer an electromagnetic beam at the missile to divert it.

It would also determine the launch point and quickly notify security officials.

Lockheed expects F-16 export orders

PARIS -- Lockheed Martin Corp., the world's largest defense contractor, may receive between 100 and 200 additional export orders for F-16s through 2008, Chief Executive Officer Robert Stevens said.

Lockheed expects to continue production of the fighter plane after 2008 so there won't be a gap in making combat jets before the Bethesda, Md.-based company begins building the F-35, or Joint Strike Fighter, in 2010, Stevens said.

BAE chief explains Airbus A350 delay

The European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. and BAE Systems PLC, which own European plane maker Airbus, delayed introducing the new A350 model because of demand for resources from existing airliner programs, BAE Chief Executive Mike Turner said yesterday.

It was the first time any company executive had explained the delay.

EADS last week said the company's board won't make a decision on construction of the new A350 airliner until September, three months later than Airbus had hoped.

The company didn't give a reason for the delay.

Ryanair places orders for five Boeing 737s

Dublin-based, low-cost airline Ryanair said yesterday that it has converted options to buy five Boeing 737-800 aircraft to firm orders, bringing to 230 the number of firm orders by Ryanair for the single-aisle passenger planes.

The deal, among the first announced yesterday at the air show, was worth about $286 million.

This report includes information from The Associated Press, The Boston Globe, Agence France-Presse and Bloomberg News.

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