Singapore, 31
January
2007
European aerospace leader EADS is ramping up its Research and Technology (R&T) activities with Singaporean partners. The company will join Singaporean research agency A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) in its National Aerospace Programme. A respective Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Wednesday by Dr. Ulrich Schnaut, Chief Operating Officer of the EADS Singapore Research & Technology Centre (SRTC) and Professor Chong Tow Chong, Executive Director of the Science & Engineering Research Council of A*STAR. This MoU envisages a tier 1 membership for EADS in the programme, along with other international aerospace companies.
The Aerospace Programme is aiming at the R&T in pre-competitive technologies with an option for members to set up specific projects with A*STAR at preferential rates. It targets five main directions of research, namely inspection, modelling and security, materials and coatings, manufacturing and automation, communication and electronics. The programme has been launched in order to engage the international aerospace industry with the R&T community in Singapore and to drive innovation in the local aerospace industry and in related sectors.
As a tier 1 member, EADS will contribute S$200,000 annually to the research programme. The membership gives EADS royalty-free access to all results of the research activities carried out in the framework of this programme. It also gives voting rights to EADS in the decision making process aimed at defining the R&T projects which will be launched, thus allowing the company to chart the direction of aerospace R&T in Singapore.
The Aerospace Programme will be led by a Management Committee which shall be comprised of a Programme Director, and Industry Development Manager, all tier 1 members and representatives of the tier 2 and 3 members.
“Our partnership with A*STAR underlines our commitment to Singapore as one of EADS’ most important R&T locations” said Jean Botti, Chief Technical Officer of EADS. “It will also boost our potential for innovation by making use of the creativity and the knowledge of the highly skilled researchers from Asia.“
Christian Duhain, President of EADS International, the group’s corporate marketing organisation added: “This cooperation represents one more step in our relationship with Singapore and is perfectly in line with EADS’ strategy to increase its presence in Asia Pacific."
“Singapore is a very suitable hub for R&T in Asia” stated Ulrich Schnaut, the COO of the EADS SRTC. “The country combines superb technology and research capabilities with a very stimulating legal framework.”
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, EADS generated revenues of € 34.2 billion and employed a workforce of over 113,000. The EADS Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the international leader in missile systems. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is one of the largest industrial partners for the European satellite navigation system Galileo.
