WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Houlihan Lokey, the international investment bank, today announced that Linda Maxwell has joined the firms Aerospace, Defense and Government (ADG) investment banking group.Ms. Maxwell is based in Washington, D.C. and reports to Anita Antenucci, Senior Managing Director and Head of the ADG Group.

Ms. Maxwell joins following a 12-year career at Jefferies & Company, where she was most recently chief strategist at Jefferies Quarterdeck, the firms Aerospace & Defense Investment Banking Group.In this role, Ms. Maxwell led business strategy for the firms aerospace and defense client base, having led more than 30 transactions involving many of the world's largest aerospace and defense contractors including Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon.Prior to Jefferies, Ms. Maxwell spent more than a decade at Raytheon Company where she held a number of roles across business development, systems engineering, and engineering manufacturing and design. Ms. Maxwell holds both M.S. and B.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as an MBA from Harvard Business School.

In addition, Roger Christopher has joined the firms ADG Group.He is also based in Washington, reporting to Ms. Antenucci. Mr. Christopher joins from KPMG Corporate Finance where he was a vice president involved in sellside M&A engagements in the defense sector. Previously, he was a vice president at Stifel, Nicolaus and Co. in the firms Aerospace, Defense and Government Services Investment Banking Group. While at Stifel, he completed more than 15 transactions, including M&A and public and private debt and equity placements. Mr. Christopher holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from The Cooper Union and an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia.

Having worked with Linda previously, I am excited to be partnering once again with one of the most experienced bankers in the aerospace and defense sector, said Ms. Antenucci. Linda and Roger bolster our 23-person industry group. We are unique in our size, scope and depth of experience. Their breadth of banking and engineering experience will be invaluable to providing the world-class service our clients have come to expect from us.

These appointments follow the March hire of Ryan OToole and June hire of Jeff Lassiter, both in Los Angeles. The team currently has one of the deepest pools of talent in the sector with 23 investment banking professionals globally.

Houlihan Lokeys AerospaceDefenseGovernment (ADG) Group has announced over 36 transactions since 2010 with an aggregate value of more than $5 billion. In 2011, the group was named the No. 1 M&A advisor by Thomson Reuters for all U.S. aerospace, defense and government transactions. Recent transactions include the $1.88 billion sale of SRA International, Inc., for which the team was awarded the Information Technology Deal of the Year from the M&A Advisor; the sale of Heath Tecna to Zodiac Aerospace, S.A.; and the sale of DS3, a subsidiary of EADS North America, among others. The group is hosting its 10th Annual AerospaceDefenseGovernment Conference Opportunities in a Post-Election Environment on November 8, 2012, in Washington, D.C.

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Houlihan Lokey Continues Expansion of Aerospace-Defense-Government Banking Coverage

MIDLAND, Texas, July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The Midland Development Corporation (MDC) and XCOR Aerospace jointly announced today the establishment of XCOR's new Commercial Space Research and Development Center Headquarters that will be created over the next eighteen (18) months. XCOR manufactures reusable rocket engines for major aerospace prime contractors and is the designer, manufacturer and operator of the Lynx, a winged fully reusable, high performance suborbital space vehicle that is designed to safely carry two persons or scientific experiments to the edge of space and back up to four times per day.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120709/LA37055)

"This is a great day for Midland and a huge step forward for the State of Texas. Visionary companies, like XCOR, continue to choose Texas because they know that innovation is fueled by freedom," Gov. Perry said. "Whether on the cutting edge of biotech, communications, commerce or privatized efforts to serve the needs of the next generation of space explorers, you can find Texas at the forefront of the movement."

XCOR will be establishing their new R&D center on the flight line at Midland International Airport (MAF) in a newly renovated 60,000-square-foot hangar, which will include office space and a test facility. The renovation is expected to commence in early 2013, and be completed by the late autumn.

"XCOR will be upgrading an existing hangar at Midland International Airport," stated Marv Esterly, director of airports at MAF. "This new R&D facility has the potential to open the door to even more economic development at our airport and for our community."

"We are pleased to be establishing our R&D Center in Midland, Texas, where the weather, surrounding landscape, the airport, and the local & state government environment are ideally situated for the future growth and the ultimate realization of a fully reusable orbital system," said Andrew Nelson, chief operating officer of XCOR Aerospace. "With future suborbital operational sites on the East and West Coasts of the United States and around the world, plus a manufacturing and test facility geographically separate from our R&D facility, Midland will truly be at the heart of XCOR's innovation engine."

"The decision to establish XCOR's Research and Development Center Headquarters in Midland came after intense competition from other locations," stated Pam Welch, executive director of MDC, "once the technical and operational needs of XCOR were met, the final factors influencing the decision to locate R&D to Midland included the friendly business climate, a predictable regulatory environment, and the State of Texas tort reform initiatives. These factors allowed XCOR to see a long term future happening in Midland."

Laura Roman, MDC chairman, stated "Today we celebrate the economic diversity that XCOR's Research and Development Center Headquarters will bring to Midland along with the $12,000,000 of new payroll and capital investment over the next five years to our community with an estimated average annual wage of over $60,000 per job."

In parallel with the XCOR facility renovation, the City of Midland is applying to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for a Commercial Space Launch Site designation for MAF, an estimated 12 to 18 months process. Upon completion of the licensing process and the hangar renovation, the XCOR presence will begin to ramp up.

The FAA spaceport designation will also be an important economic development tool because of the potential growth in the commercial space sector as NASA relies more on commercial service providers for launch capability and the space tourism market evolves. Marv Esterly, noted, "When our application is approved, the MAF will be the first "Primary Commercial Service Airport" to be granted this designation, and the combination of the two makes Midland attractive to other commercial space companies."

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XCOR Aerospace And Midland Development Corporation Announce Establishment Of XCOR's New Commercial Spaceflight R&D ...

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -- A Belgian aerospace company announced plans Monday to open a plant in Stillwater, creating up to 600 jobs and investing up to $100 million by 2015.

Gov. Mary Fallin made the announcement Monday as she attended the Farnborough International Air Show in the United Kingdom. ASCO Inc. will build in the former MerCruiser manufacturing facility on Perkins Road in Stillwater.

"Oklahoma has one of the strongest aerospace sectors in the U.S., and we are quickly becoming an international destination for the industry," Fallin said. "Today's announcement is one more indication that our commitment to pro-business policies is helping to attract jobs and businesses to the state."

Officials said the company will initially invest $60 million and employ 250 people by 2014. The second phase of development would bring an additional $30 million to $40 million in capital investment and another 350 jobs by 2015.

"Oklahoma was the best location for our facility," ASCO CEO Christian Boas said. "The state is centrally located in North America and has an existing aerospace industry, which is thriving."

The company designs and makes aircraft components and assemblies for Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer commercial jets.

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Aerospace company to open plant in Stillwater

CHATSWORTH, Calif., July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Align Aerospace LLC, a global provider of aerospace fasteners, assembly components and supply chain solutions, is pleased to announce that it has received a Boeing Performance Excellence Award (BPEA). The Boeing Company issues the award annually to recognize suppliers who have achieved superior performance. This year, Boeing recognized a total of 529 suppliers who achieved either a Gold or Silver level BPEA. Based on Boeing's metrics for quality and on time delivery, Align Aerospace achieved Silver level status for 2011.

"We have based our business on superior performance and execution and we are honored to once again receive this very important award from Boeing," said Rick Organ, CEO of Align Aerospace. "Boeing is a worldwide leader in the aerospace industry, and we have enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with them."

Align provides parts to support Boeing commercial and military satellite programs, Boeing Defense C17 and UAV's, and Boeing Commercial 737, 767, 777 and 787 platforms, both direct to Boeing and through subcontractors.

For more information on the Boeing Performance Excellence Award, visit http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/doingbiz/supplier_portal/bpea.html.

About Align:

Align Aerospace is a leading supplier of hardware and related components to a broad range of aerospace and defense OEMs and their subcontractors throughout the world. Experts in bid-to-buy, JIT, VMI, lean manufacturing and supply chain management, Align has more than 90,000 unique parts in stock from over 2,000 suppliers ready to ship from its warehouses throughout the U.S. and Europe. Between 1998 and 2011, the Company operated as Pentacon, Eurofast SAS, and Anixter Aerospace Hardware. Align began independent operations in August 2011 as a result of the divestiture of the business by Anixter International to Greenbrier Equity Group.

http://www.alignaero.com

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Align Aerospace Receives Silver Boeing Performance Excellence Award

CORONA, CA--(Marketwire -07/09/12)- CIRCOR Aerospace, a CIRCOR International Company (CIR), has partnered with Aero Precision Industries to sell and distribute its Fluid Controls, Landing Gear and Actuation, and Sylmar facility product lines, with a particular focus on foreign military sales.

Aero Precision's agreement with CIRCOR Aerospace features a global territory, tailored upon product lines and current distribution channels. Aero Precision will continue to increase CIRCOR's established customer connectivity and market presence for specialized fluidic controls legacy components and actuation as well as nose wheel steering actuators and fully-dressed landing gear and components on military platforms such as fighter aircraft and helicopters.

"Our new ally, Aero Precision and their international network will continue to drive our singular purpose for customer satisfaction in CIRCOR Aerospace products, capabilities and value," said Michael Dill, CIRCOR Aerospace Group Vice President.

"Aero Precision has proven ability to present parts and services to the international military aftermarket in the most efficient and strategic manner, and we're excited to begin our partnership with CIRCOR," noted Frank Cowle, Aero Precision President.

About Aero PrecisionAero Precision is a leader in aerospace distribution and services and a premier worldwide stocking distributor of aircraft OEM parts. With 20 years of reliability, quality products and unparalleled customer service, Aero Precision facilitates spare part purchasing, repair coordination and aircraft maintenance program management using a unique logistic support model to source military aircraft solutions for the US Government and over 60 countries. Aero Precision has stocking distribution or Channel Partnerships with Honeywell, Hamilton Sundstrand, Crane Aerospace, Texstars, CEF, Parker, Woodward, and additional strategic OEM partners for various product lines.

For more information on Aero Precision, visit: http://www.aeroprecision.com

About CIRCOR Aerospace Products Group and CIRCOR Aerospace, Inc.

CIRCOR Aerospace Products Group is focused on the design, development, and manufacture of specialty fluidic control, actuation, and aircraft landing gear systems for demanding aerospace and defense applications. CIRCOR Aerospace provides a full range of fluid controls and electro-mechanical controls, actuation systems, manifold assemblies, and complete landing gear systems. CIRCOR Aerospace has business units located in California, Ohio, New York, Paris and Chemill, France, Tangier, Morocco and Suzhou, China.

Parent company CIRCOR International is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts and the CIRCOR Aerospace Products group is headquartered in Corona, California.

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CIRCOR Aerospace Signs Distribution Agreement With Aero Precision

WELLINGTON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

B/E Aerospace (BEAV) (the Company), announced today it has commenced an underwritten public offering of $675.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.25% senior notes due 2022.

The senior notes are being offered pursuant to a prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus filed by the Company as part of a shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC).

The senior notes are an additional issuance of, will be fully fungible with, rank equally with, and form a single series with the Companys $500 million 5.25% Senior Notes due 2022 issued on March 13, 2012, and will have the same CUSIP number.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the offering, together with cash on hand, to fund the consideration in its concurrent tender offer and consent solicitation for any and all of its outstanding 8.50% Senior Notes due 2018, including the payment of accrued interest and any applicable consent payment. The Company intends to use any remaining net proceeds from this offering (to the extent less than all of the 8.50% Senior Notes due 2018 are tendered) for other general corporate purposes.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and UBS Securities LLC are acting as joint book-running managers and RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as co-managers for the offering.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, the notes described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these notes in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities law of any such jurisdiction.

The offering is being made by means of a prospectus and the related prospectus supplement only. Copies of the prospectus and the related preliminary prospectus supplement can be obtained from J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, attention: High Yield Syndicate, (800) 245-8812, HY_syndicate@jpmorgan.com, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Brooklyn Army Terminal, 140 58th Street, 8th floor, Brooklyn, New York 11220, (877) 858-5407, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, One Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010, (800) 221-1037, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, telephone (866) 471-2526, facsimile (212) 902-9316, prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com, and UBS Securities LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 299 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10171, (877) 827-6444, ext. 561 3884.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. The Companys actual experience and results may differ materially from the experience and results anticipated in such statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include those discussed in the Companys filings with the SEC, which include the Registration Statement, prospectus and preliminary prospectus supplement related to this offering and its Proxy Statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. For more information, see the section entitled "Forward-Looking Statements" contained in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and, except as required by federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About B/E Aerospace

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B/E Aerospace Announces Senior Notes Offering

FARNBOROUGH, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Marotta Controls announces that the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) has recently elected Thomas S. Marotta, Chairman and CEO of Marotta Controls, to join its Executive Committee.

The Aerospace Industries Association is the premier trade association representing the nations major aerospace and defense manufacturers. The AIA receives its policy guidance from the direct involvement of CEO-level officers of the countrys major aerospace companies. Mr. Marotta will serve as an advocate for all association members in his new role as an executive committee member.

Mr. Marotta has had lifelong aerospace industry experience including multiple executive board roles. Tom joined Marotta Controls in 1967, and for the past 24 years has served as its Chairman and CEO. He is also the president of Custom Engineering and Design, Inc. (CEDI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Marotta Controls.

As an aerospace professional I have experienced first-hand the power of the AIA to improve communication, share best practices, promote networking and advocate for the aerospace industrial base, said Thomas S. Marotta, chairman and CEO of Marotta Controls. The AIA works hard to support the aerospace community and is the go-to resource for the US aerospace industry.

Mr. Marotta is also active in community affairs and is a leader of many local organizations. Tom serves as Trustee to Vaughn College of Aeronautics and New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company. He has also served as President of the Morristown Beard School and the Boonton Chamber of Commerce. He has previously served on the boards of Bryant University and St. Claires Hospital, as well as the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Marotta served with the 108th TAC Fighter Group, New Jersey Air National Guard at McGuire Air Force Base, and has remained an active pilot with commercial, multi-engine and instrument ratings for more than forty years.

About Marotta Controls

Marotta Controls, Inc. is a small business specializing in the design, development, manufacture and qualification of motion and flow control solutions. With over 200 patents and more than 70 years experience, Marotta provides its customers with a wide range of control systems for the most demanding applications in the aerospace, space, marine and land systems markets.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50324370&lang=en

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Thomas S. Marotta Elected to the Aerospace Industries Association Executive Committee

Sun, Jul 08, 2012

The University of Southampton will launch its new aerospace sector team at the 2012 Farnborough International Air Show on Tuesday. Aerospace Southampton will expand the Universitys involvement in the sector and broaden research collaborations with key players, such as BAE Systems, EADS and the Ministry of Defence.

Southampton has established a world-leading reputation for research and education in all areas of the aerospace industry ranging from aerodynamics and aero acoustics to aircraft noise and vibration as well as computational engineering and agent-based systems. The University is also pushing the boundaries and applying its expertise in new areas, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and space debris.

A number of world-renowned research groups and facilities which support aerospace-related projects are based at the University of Southampton including the RJ Mitchell Wind Tunnel, the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, the Airbus Aircraft Noise Technology Centre and the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centres at Southampton.

The aerospace industry faces a number of major engineering and environmental challenges in the years ahead and the University of Southampton is perfectly positioned to continue its world-changing impact on the sector, said Don Spalinger, the Universitys Director of Research and Innovation Services . The creation of Aerospace Southampton will build on our global reputation and excellent links with industry will help us to maximise future opportunities for our research.

Aerospace Southampton also has the potential to equip our graduates for leadership in the sector and it will consult with alumni and external stakeholders to identify how to enhance the Universitys contribution to the industry, Spalinger continued.

Professor Mark Spearing, Southamptons Pro-Chancellor (International), will Chair Aerospace Southampton which encompasses staff, students and representatives from major research groups across the University. Industry executives from leading commercial and industry organisations will support Aerospace Southampton through a new advisory board.

(Image provided by University of Southampton)

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New University Team To Build On Southamptons Reputation For Aerospace

MINNEAPOLIS, MN July 5, 2012 Donaldson Company, Inc. (NYSE: DCI), the leading provider of filtration solutions for aerospace and defense, industrial and heavy manufacturing applications, will display many of its most innovative products for a global audience July 9-13 at the Farnborough International Airshow 2012. The company will exhibit products and meet visitors at Booth C16, Hall 1.

Donaldson Aerospace & Defense Group offers a comprehensive line of filtration applications for commercial and military aircraft and ground vehicles. The Farnborough exhibit will showcase hydraulic manifolds that provide smooth operation of essential flight systems; propellant surface tension devices for reliable fuel flow; fuel filters to eliminate particulates that can foul engines; and inlet barrier filters to ensure clean air flow into turbine engine intakes. The Donaldson Air Purification System (APS) will also be featured.

Donaldson executives and technical experts will be available to discuss these and other systems throughout the event. Customers can schedule appointments by contacting Jessica Sammeter at 661-705-3850 or email jessica.sammeter@donaldson.com.

Donaldson product excellence and dedicated technical and support teams have made us a valued partner for aerospace companies and governments and military forces around the world, said Mike Trevino, Director of Sales, Donaldson Aerospace & Defense Group. We are delighted to attend Farnborough and demonstrate the unmatched capabilities of our advanced filtration systems and expand our worldwide customer base.

About Donaldson's Aerospace & Defense Group

Donaldson's Aerospace & Defense group is a leading worldwide provider of filtration systems for the aerospace and defense industry. Our filtration solutions protect fixed wing aircraft, rotorcraft, military ground vehicles, electronic equipment, space vehicles, missiles, military shipboard systems and amphibious vehicles. We are committed to advancing filtration technology, providing quality products and prompt customer service. Our group serves customers from sales, engineering and manufacturing locations around the world.

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Donaldson Showcases Filtration Systems for Global Aerospace Industry at Farnborough 2012

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), will join with representatives from IndustriALL, the newly formed global union, at the Farnborough Air Show on July 10-11 to remind visitors, vendors and customers that there would be no aerospace industry without the contributions of thousands of highly-skilled workers who belong to some of the worlds most progressive trade unions.

Its time to give proper credit to the men and women at aerospace companies and vendors who consistently produce the worlds most technically advanced products with a degree of skill that is unmatched anywhere in the world, said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger, who also serves as one of three IndustriALL vice presidents. We also will be monitoring the growing aerospace industry in countries like China, often with the help of U.S.-based aerospace companies.

Buffenbarger will also chair a meeting in London with representatives of the IndustriALL Aerospace Sector. The meeting will serve as a forum to strengthen the Global Alliance of Aerospace Unions that was formed in Seattle, WA in 2010 and to establish tools for global organizing and collective bargaining in the aerospace industry.

The IndustriALL delegates will also consider establishing an annual award to be named each year in conjunction with the Farnborough and Paris Air Shows to recognize the aerospace company that is best committed to working with its unions and honoring international labor standards to produce the best products in the industry. A second award will be considered to recognize the aerospace company thategregiously fails to respect workers fundamental human rights, including the right to form a union and to engage in collective bargaining.

The IAM is one of the largest industrial trade unions in North America, representing nearly 700,000 active and retired members in dozens of industries. For more information about the IAM, visit http://www.goiam.org.

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IAM, IndustriALL Global Union to Represent Aerospace Workers at Farnborough Air Show

GKN HAS agreed to buy Volvo’s aerospace division for £663 million (€831 million) in cash, sealing a deal it has been favoured to win since March.

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GKN to buy aerospace arm at Volvo for £663m

A new variation of the Sykipot information stealing malware is being distributed in new email-based attacks targeting the aerospace industry, according to researchers at security firm AlienVault.

"We have detected a new wave of Sykipot campaigns that has been running during the past weeks," AlienVault Labs manager Jaime Blasco, said. "There are several changes between the new Sykipot campaigns and the older ones."

There are clues suggesting that these attacks originated in China, although this cannot be confirmed with 100% certainty, Blasco said.

The rogue emails sent in the new attacks no longer distribute malicious attachments that exploit vulnerabilities in Adobe Reader, Microsoft Excel or Internet Explorer to install Sykipot.

Instead, they contain links to compromised websites that exploit a 2011 Flash Player vulnerability or a yet-to-be-patched vulnerability in the Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) to install the malware.

The MSXML vulnerability is believed to have been exploited in June attacks that prompted Google to warn its Gmail users about state-sponsored attacks. Microsoft released a manual fix for this vulnerability on June 12.

However, the company should provide a proper automatic security patch as soon as possible because the number of attacks that exploit it are increasing, Blasco said.

The Sykipot Trojan program has been used during the past year in targeted attacks against US federal agencies, defence contractors and other organisations that store sensitive data on their computer systems.

One of the new Sykipot attack campaigns targeted potential attendees to the 2013 IEEE Aerospace Conference, a conference intended for aerospace experts, academics, military personnel and industry leaders.

Each Sykipot variant is tailored for a particular group of targets, Blasco said. For example, in January, AlienVault researchers found a version designed to bypass two-factor authentication based on PC/SC x509 smart cards, which commonly used for access management in the defence sector.

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Sykipot malware variation targets aerospace industry with email attack

NEW YORK, July 5, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following a boom in commercial aircraft orders in 2011, a year which saw the successful launch of the Airbus A320 NEO and the Boeing 737 MAX, the aerospace industry is now faced with having to deliver a huge backlog. According to a study of the aerospace and defense industry released today by global business advisory firm, AlixPartners, the industry must increase production rates by 45% in volume by 2015 if it is to meet demand, representing the industry's biggest challenge in the coming years.

Looking at the aerospace and defense industry as a whole, the study finds that it is in better shape than last year. The commercial aircraft sector has rebounded, driven by approximately 5% growth in airline and cargo traffic globally and the acceleration of old-aircraft replacement with fuel-efficient alternatives.

However, the future profitability of the airline industry remains uncertain, says the AlixPartners study, with fuel price instability (despite some stabilization of late) and degrading economic drivers weighing on outlook. The study found that net profits for the airline industry globally have been squeezed to an all-time industry average low of 0.5% of revenues -- due to fierce competition, overcapacity-related revenue pressures and rising operating costs.

The study also shows a real contrast in the growth rates globally between OEMs and suppliers, with the former lagging by nearly five percentage points on average -- and this gap looks set to widen. In 2011, suppliers globally saw average sales growth of 10.4%, compared to just 1.0% on average for OEMs.

In the business jet market, while there is no significant upturn as yet, China remains an untapped opportunity with significant under-representation, says the study. In the defense sector, while sovereign spending cuts have received significant attention this year, AlixPartners predicts continued impacts going forward on the industry in the U.S. and Europe, mitigated somewhat by growth in the BRIC countries and other emerging markets.

Eric Bernardini, managing director at AlixPartners and head of the firm's global Aerospace & Defense Practice, said: "Right now, beneath the surface, every level of the aerospace & defense supply chain is scrambling to accelerate in terms of performance, on-time delivery and service levels. The success of more fuel-efficient commercial aircraft by Airbus and Boeing will eventually drive increased financial performance. In the meantime, however, supply chain pressures may drive a period of further consolidation amongst Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers, especially in segments where fragmentation is still high, such as aerostructures components. The other side of the coin is that some "super-Tier 1" suppliers may have become so big that they represent a risk which needs to be addressed by the OEMs by getting "under the hood" of all their suppliers, and their suppliers' suppliers. Companies need to ask a lot of questions in order to make sure they are in total control of the ramp-up and have the insight to anticipate any issues."

Commercial supply chain: Ramp-up under heavy stress

Airline leadership teams have so far addressed operating cost pressures by ramping up orders for new, more advanced, aircraft, notes the study, as companies shoot for a 20% improvement in fuel efficiency to help them remain competitive. However, the challenge with these new aircraft is that they incorporate new technologies -- for instance in engines -- that add further strain to the supply chain. According to the study, a 45% increase in production is expected by 2015 although taking into account the greater complexity of the new models, the increase could be upwards of 70%.

According to the study, while order books look healthy and Tier-1 equipment suppliers are expected to do well, OEMs should be worried about whether their supply chains will be able to keep up. OEMs, such as Boeing and Airbus, and engine suppliers such as GE/Safran, Rolls and Pratt & Whitney, will need to considerably ramp-up their supply chains. To mitigate their risk, AlixPartners says OEMs should be driving greater integration of their "operational environments" -- working far more closely with suppliers, putting in place early-warning systems to improve response time to issues and getting ready to provide operational and financial support to suppliers -- even for acquisitions as a last resort.

MRO Market: Growth ahead - but winners and losers

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Aerospace Supply Chain Faces Harsh Reality of Having to Deliver Huge Backlog of Orders Following a Boom in Commercial ...

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Sykipot malware used in attacks on aerospace industry

New email-based attacks, some of which target the aerospace industry, are distributing new variants of the Sykipot information stealing malware, according to researchers from security firm AlienVault.

"We have detected a new wave of Sykipot campaigns that has been running during the past weeks," AlienVault Labs manager Jaime Blasco, said Monday in a blog post. "There are several changes between the new Sykipot campaigns and the older ones."

There are clues suggesting that these attacks originated in China, although this cannot be confirmed with one hundred percent certainty, Blasco said Wednesday.

The rogue emails sent in the new attacks no longer distribute malicious attachments that exploit vulnerabilities in Adobe Reader, Microsoft Excel or Internet Explorer to install Sykipot.

Instead, they contain links to compromised websites that exploit a 2011 Flash Player vulnerability or a yet-to-be-patched vulnerability in the Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) to install the malware.

The MSXML vulnerability is believed to have been exploited in June attacks that prompted Google to warn its Gmail users about state-sponsored attacks. Microsoft released a manual fix for this vulnerability on June 12.

However, the company should provide a proper automatic security patch as soon as possible because the number of attacks that exploit it are increasing, Blasco said.

The Sykipot Trojan program has been used during the past year in targeted attacks against U.S. federal agencies, defense contractors and other organizations that store sensitive data on their computer systems.

One of the new Sykipot attack campaigns targeted potential attendees to the 2013 IEEE Aerospace Conference, a conference intended for aerospace experts, academics, military personnel and industry leaders.

Each Sykipot variant is tailored for a particular group of targets, Blasco said. For example, in January, AlienVault researchers found a version designed to bypass two-factor authentication based on PC/SC x509 smart cards, which commonly used for access management in the defense sector.

See more here:

Targeted Attacks Against Aerospace Industry Use Sykipot Malware

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Emmen Aerospace, Inc. (Emmen) announced today that it will rebrand to become BOSH Technologies, a member of The BOSH Group (TBG), effective October 1, 2012. The transition will formalize Emmen's induction into TBG, a family of companies dedicated to the development and operation of customized unmanned system solutions.

Emmen, which specializes in the development, production and support of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), adds complementary technologies to TBG's portfolio of capabilities. "Emmen has a proven track record of success in supplying affordable, easy-to-use Unmanned Aircraft Systems to U.S. government and military personnel at home and in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Robert Fitzgerald, CEO of The BOSH Group. "As BOSH Technologies, the company will build on that success, expanding into new markets by customizing field-proven unmanned systems to meet the specific needs of law enforcement, emergency responders and other civil communities."

BOSH Technologies will continue to produce the Emmen family of products, including the "Swiper," "Super Swiper," "Condor" and "Skynet" UAS, and will champion the expansion and improvement of these systems' capabilities while working to increase the company's product offerings. Current Emmen customers can count on the continuation of Emmen's quality service and improved products from BOSH Technologies.

About Emmen Aerospace, Inc.Emmen Aerospace, Inc. is a leader in the development of affordable unmanned systems. Specializing in the integration of robust air and surface unmanned systems, command and control systems, surveillance systems and target drones, Emmen is dedicated to the design and development of unique and innovative solutions for government, military and civil agencies. Offering a range of products tailored to meet the customer's specific requirements, Emmen provides affordable unmanned systems that are easily operated and maintained. For more information, visit http://www.emmenaerospace.com.

About The BOSH GroupThe BOSH Group is a parent organization providing centralized management and business support services for several specialized companies. Members of TBG offer a comprehensive range of technology products and service solutions built upon unmatched experience developing and supporting U.S. Department of Defense mission-critical surveillance and communications systems. Members' portfolios include production of cost-effective UAS and associated operational and analytical services designed to fulfill customer-specific needs in emerging commercial and civil UAS market segments.

For additional information: 757.283.9649

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Emmen Aerospace To Become BOSH Technologies

By Bill Rigby

SEATTLE (Reuters) - U.S. aerospace unions stayed largely quiet on Monday as Europe's Airbus announced plans to build its first airliner assembly plant in Mobile, Alabama, free of union representation.

Some welcomed the creation of jobs on U.S. shores, but expressed wariness that non-union work would drive down wages across the board in one of the last bastions of U.S. manufacturing.

"It's positive that Airbus is actually building a facility," said Paul Shearon, Secretary-Treasurer of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, a Washington, D.C.-based umbrella group for U.S. and Canadian engineering unions.

"But I think it's extremely unfortunate that a company that has been as successful as Airbus with a fully unionized workforce is choosing to go to a 'right-to-work' state to build that plant. It doesn't make sense."

Airbus, part of European aerospace group EADS, unveiled plans to build its first U.S. factory in Mobile, Alabama, on Monday, which it said would create some 1,000 jobs [ID:nL2E8I24XV].

Alabama is one of the two dozen U.S. states which uphold so-called 'right-to-work' laws, which prohibit compulsory membership of a union, making it very hard for a union to represent workers there.

Boeing Co's commercial aircraft unit made its biggest move into union-free manufacturing last year, when it opened a final assembly plant in South Carolina, also a 'right-to-work' state.

That move incensed unions in Boeing's heartland in the Puget Sound area around Seattle and led to a bitter legal battle between the company, workers and the National Labor Relations Board that was eventually settled with a four-year labor agreement [ID:nN1E7AT23A].

"Non-union employees aren't good for any workforce. It has a tendency to bring down wages," said Bill Dugovich, a spokesman for the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), which represents more than 25,000 engineers at Boeing, or ex-Boeing, plants in the United States.

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U.S. unions greet Airbus with silence, wariness

KYUNGJU, South Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Aldec, Inc. joins Korean Air, Korean Aerospace Industries, Thales, Rockwell Collins, and other top tier exhibitors and presenters at the Avionics System Symposium (ASSK 2012) in KyungJu, South Korea. The Symposium, serving the Aerospace Electronics Technology industry, runs July 5-6, 2012, and will showcaseleading researchin the form of technical papers and presentations.Aldec, recently receiving global recognition for supporting several avionics projects in achieving DO-254 compliance, has been invited to take part in the conference where Louie De Luna, Aldec DO-254 Program Manager, will present FPGA Level In-Target Testing for DO-254 Compliance.

FPGA Level In-Target Testing with DO-254/CTS provides a feasible means to increase target FPGA verification coverage by test, satisfying the verification objectives of the DO-254/ED-80 specification. It allows reuse of the simulation testbench as test vectors for at-speed testing to ensure that the device testing meets the requirements and performs as to what the RTL implementation intended.

About DO-254/CTS

DO-254/CTS consists of a fully customized hardware and software package that facilitates target device testing early in the process without the final target board. It enables a single and automated environment to test all FPGA level requirements at-speed in the target device with full visibility and controllability at the FPGA pin level. For more details on DO-254/CTS, including a Video Overview, Flow Charts, and Features, visit http://www.aldec.com/Products/DO-254.

About Aldec

Aldec Inc., headquartered in Henderson, Nevada, is an industry leader in Electronic Design Verification and offers a patented technology suite including: RTL Design, RTL Simulators, Hardware-Assisted Verification, Design Rule Checking, IP Cores, DO-254 Functional Verification and Military/Aerospace solutions. http://www.aldec.com

About ASSK

The Avionics System Symposium (ASSK) serves the Aerospace Electronics Technology industry, promoting collaboration and exchanges between aerospace electronics sector institutions and companies. http://www.ksas.or.kr

Aldec is a registered trademark of Aldec, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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Aldec Invited to Present ‘FPGA Level In-Target Testing for DO-254 Compliance’ at Avionics Conference in South Korea

MOBILE, Ala. - European aerospace giant Airbus will build its first airplane factory in the U.S., aiming to compete better against archrival Boeing in the battle to dominate the global aviation industry.

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European aerospace giant Airbus announces it will build its 1st US assembly plant in Alabama

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation today announced that Uday Yadav has been named president, Aerospace Group reporting to Craig Arnold, vice chairman and chief operating officer for the Industrial Sector, effective August 1, 2012. Yadav will be based in Irvine, California. He succeeds Brad Morton, who will retire from Eaton on November 1, 2012.

Uday is a talented leader with a strong track record whose diverse experiences will serve the aerospace business well, said Arnold. During his leadership of the Eaton Business System, he has moved our capability to the next level by enabling EBS to achieve greater impact across the corporation. We are looking forward to his contributions in leading the aerospace team.

Most recently, Yadav was executive vice president, Eaton Business System. He joined Eaton in 1994 and has held the roles of president, Hydraulics business in Asia Pacific, vice president of Supply Chain Management for the Fluid Power Group, director and general manager of Eatons Global Hose Division, local managing director for Eaton in India, as well as leadership positions in the Automotive business and Aeroquip's European Operations. Prior to joining Eaton, he worked with Lucas Engineering and Systems in the United Kingdom where he worked extensively in the aerospace industry.

Yadav holds a double degree with honors in engineering and business from Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom.

Arnold continued, Brad has been instrumental in helping Eaton transform into a comprehensive supplier of hydraulic, fuel, pneumatic and electrical products for commercial and military aircraft. Under his leadership, the aerospace business has grown organically and through acquisition into the organization it is today. We are grateful for his contributions during his career with Eaton and wish him the very best for his retirement.

Morton joined Eaton in August of 2002 as the vice president and general manager for Aerospace Fluid Systems. He was named to his current role in 2003.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with more than 100 years of experience providing energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power. With 2011 sales of $16.0 billion, Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components, systems and services for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 72,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit http://www.eaton.com.

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Eaton Names Uday Yadav President, Aerospace Group; Brad Morton to Retire