Page 24 - World Airnews Magazine October Edition 2020

NEWS

A MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ

AGREEMENT

landing the first woman and the next man “Southern University and A&M College

on the moon in 2024. We look forward to has long been a leading institution in Louisi-

oeing and Southern University a long and mutually beneficial relationship ana and among fellow HBCUs,” said US Rep.

Band A&M College have signed an with Boeing and NASA.” Cedric Richmond.
18-month NASA Mentor-Protégé agree- The NASA-sponsored Mentor-Protégé “This collaboration is a great example of

ment to work together on NASA’s Space Programme pairs large companies with NASA and Boeing working hand-in-hand

Launch System programme. eligible small businesses and minority-serv- with institutions like Southern University to

Boeing will provide tactical business and ing institutions to enhance the protégés' advance the mission of HBCUs and create

technical support to Southern University to capabilities and enable them to successfully sustainable opportunities for those in our
improve its ability to win NASA contracts compete for larger, more complex con- district to showcase their engineering skills
and subcontracts. The university already tracts. During 2019, Boeing subcontracted on the world’s most powerful rocket.”
supplies alumni engineering skills to Boeing approximately (US) $5.3 billion to small and The Boeing SLS programme employs
for SLS at NASA’s Michoud assembly facility diverse businesses. Boeing’s workforce in Huntsville, Alabama,

in New Orleans. “Boeing has enjoyed a productive at NASA’s Michoud assembly facility in New

The SLS is the world’s most powerful relationship with Southern University Orleans and at other Boeing sites and with
rocket. It will launch NASA’s Artemis mis- that will only be enhanced by this NASA suppliers across the United States.

sions to the moon, Mars and beyond. Mentor-Protégé agreement,” said John “It is fantastic to see this symbiotic

“We are honoured to be the first HBCU Shannon, Boeing SLS vice president and relationship grow with the establishment

[historically Black colleges and universities] programme manager. of a formal mentor-protégé partnership
to enter into a Mentor-Protégé agreement “The Mentor-Protégé program allows Boe- between Southern University and Boeing,”
with Boeing,” said Ray L. Belton, president ing to promote the growth of small suppliers said US Rep. Garret Graves.

of the Southern University System and and strengthen the NASA industrial base.” “This mutually beneficial relationship will
chancellor of Southern University and A&M Boeing is the prime contractor for the de- build upon Southern and Boeing’s success

College.. sign, development, test and production of and provide key opportunities for Southern

“We are also excited about supporting the SLS core stage, as well as development students and solidify Louisiana’s role in

the Artemis programme and its goal of of the flight avionics suite. future lunar and Mars missions.” Q
HELICOPTERS
THE NEXT-GEN CHINOOK
HELICOPTER
oeing is delivering new technologies and perfor-
Bmance improvements to the US special operati ons
command with the Block II Chinook helicopter. Boeing’s

Philadelphia team recently delivered the first MH-47G Block
II Chinook to SOCOM on time.

“This delivery marks a major step for the Chinook
programme,” said Andy Builta, vice president and H-47
programme manager.
“The new Chinook will give US special operation forces

significantly more capability for extremely challenging mis-
sions and will enable them to conduct those missions on the
future battlefield.”

The company is on contract for 23 more MH-47G Block II
Chinooks, having signed a contract with SOCOM in July.
Boeing has more than 4,600 employees in Pennsylvania
supporting Chinook, the V-22 Osprey, MH-139A Grey Wolf

and a number of services and engineering efforts. Including

suppliers and vendors, Boeing’s activities support an esti-
mated 16,000 jobs in Pennsylvania. Q
World Airnews | October 2020
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