Boeing has announced plans to build a new ₹1,600 crore ($200 million) research and development facility in Bangalore. The new facility will focus on engineering capacity across a 43-acre campus, with the workforce set to grow 25% in the coming years. Let's find out more.

Expanding research

Last week, Boeing revealed plans to build a new R&D facility in Bangalore, India's technology hub. The $200 million investment will house thousands of engineers and other staff as the American planemaker ramps up research in several key fields. The new facility will be heavily involved in research on eVTOLs (electric, vertical, takeoff, and landing) vehicles and achieving Boeing's sustainability goal of hitting net zero emissions by 2050.

Notably, the new R&D campus is Boeing's biggest outside the US, which has historically focused its facilities within the country. The decision highlights India's presence as a major commercial and defense market for the planemaker, which is hoping to gain more market share in the coming years.

Boeing India Engineering & Technology Centre (BIETC) currently employs 4,000, of which 3,000 alone as engineers. This number is set to go up by 25% in the coming months as the business continues to recover. There is currently no timeline for when the new campus will open.

In a statement to the Economic Times, Todd Citron, Chief Technology Officer and VP & GM of Boeing Research & Technology, said,

"The tremendous talent here is contributing to both our defence and commercial sides, not in just support roles, but also in design and development of products."

On reaching its goal for sustainable flying, he highlighted what the current and future technology will look like, saying,

"Today, our aircraft are compatible with 50% SAF blending. By 2030, we expect aircraft to be compatible with 100% SAF. The key thing to focus on, however, is the availability of SAF. We are working on hydrogen (as a fuel) also...One of the advanced tech we are pursuing is truss-braced wings that are very thin wings for significantly higher aerodynamic efficiency."

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India in focus

As Airbus and Boeing tussle in the Indian market, both are pushing to be seen as the more prominent ones in the eyes of the public and government. Currently, the freshly privatized Air India (AI) is in talks with both plane makers for a 'historic' aircraft order, one that could see the addition of new types to the fleet for the first time in nearly two decades. While AI operates both aircraft, Boeing will be hoping that the 737 MAX is seen as a viable competitor to the A320's growing dominance in the market.

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Boeing has made strides in recent months, securing a major order for the 737 from startup Akasa Air. As SpiceJet and Akasa grow their fleets in the coming years, Boeing finally has a steady order pipeline from India. Air India's upcoming order is another big opportunity, especially if the carrier picks the 777X for future widebody operations.

What do you think about Boeing's new research facility? Let us know in the comments.

Source: The Economic Times

• 

  Boeing

  Stock Code:

  BA

  Date Founded:

  1916-07-15

  CEO:

  Dave Calhoun

  Headquarters Location:

  Chicago, USA

  Key Product Lines:

  Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787

  Business Type:

  Planemaker