Boeing selects Nabtesco as first Japanese systems partner on 777X

Boeing has reached an agreement with Japanese partner Nabtesco to supply primary flight control actuation system on Boeing’s new 777X airplane. Nabtesco is a long standing partner on the 777 program, supplying actuators for four flight control surfaces. With this new agreement, Nabtesco’s scope of work will double to eight, including spoilers. Actuators are a critical part of an airplane’s system that move such surfaces as ailerons on the wing and elevators on the tail to control an aircraft’s orientation in flight. Nabtesco will become the first Japanese systems supplier-partner on the 777X program. This is the third in a series of 777X related agreements with major Japanese suppliers. In June 2014, Boeing announced that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Fuji Heavy Industries, ShinMaywa and Nippi would provide 21% of the 777X airframe structure. In November Toray reached an agreement with Boeing to provide the composite material for the 777X’s super efficient fourth generation composite wing.