보잉, 2020년 이후까지 생산할 F/A-18 주문 받을 것으로 확신
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/09/us-boeing-fighter-idUSBRE9B815R20131209
보잉이 2014년 3월까지 F/A-18 슈퍼호넷의 생산라인을 유지하기 위해 수천만 달러를 투자할 것인지를 결정해야 한다고 합니다.
보잉 경영진들은 2020년 이후까지 생산할 수 있는 주문을 확보할 것으로 확신하고 있다고 합니다.
해군이 그런 신호를 흘리니 보잉으로서는 당연히 확신하겠죠
여기서도 AWST와 같이 기체 단가를 $51M으로 주장하네요. 재밌는 단락 몇 가지 뽑아보자면...
The Navy is now considering additional upgrades, including adding form-fitted fuel tanks that could reduce drag and improve the plane's range by up to 130 miles. Gibbons said he considered it a given that the Navy would order more upgrades.
Morley said the Navy's current plan does not call for additional purchases of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets or the EA-18G electronic attack planes based on the same design. But his office had prepared options for additional purchases if Pentagon leaders decided to fund them.
He said Boeing could easily front the tens of millions of dollars required for advanced procurement items until Congress passed a budget allocating the funds, but said the company would not keep the program alive unless new orders emerged.
"It will be a business-based decision. Boeing will certainly keep the production line going as long as the U.S. Navy expresses their desire to buy more jets," Gibbons said.
But he added, "It's obvious but we are not going to sustain the line if ... there aren't going to be (more) customers."
아직까지는 더 지켜봐야 될 것 같습니다. 상황 자체가 그렇게 긍정적으로 보이진 않네요...