Boeing

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans visited the Boeing office in Moscow today and saw first-hand how Boeing and Russia are working together on a spectrum of commercial airplane programs.

"Having a pre-eminent U.S. company like Boeing so firmly committed to forging strong business relationships here creates value for Russian industry and jobs for Russia's people," Evans said. "Presidents Bush and Putin had successful meetings in Genoa last week, and President Bush asked me to come to Moscow to reinforce the necessity for two-way trade. When it comes time for Aeroflot and other Russian airlines to purchase foreign-made airplanes, I am confident they will find that Boeing has the most competitive and high-quality products."

At the Engineering Design Center, Evans observed how Boeing maintains a truly global, 24-hour design program where Russian engineers design parts for Boeing airplanes while their Seattle counterparts are asleep. Using the latest state-of-the-art computers and design tools, the engineers easily maintain communication between the two sites. The Design Center opened in 1998 and now, along with Boeing's Moscow Technology Research Center, contracts with about 650 Russian engineers, scientists and computer specialists.

"We are very honored by Secretary Evans' visit and his supportive words for the many excellent cooperative relationships we have built here in Russia," said Sergey Kravchenko, Boeing's vice president for Russia and the Confederation of Independent States. "We are involved here with the best of Russia's aerospace industries, and this involvement will grow significantly in the future."

For instance, Boeing, Sukhoi Civil Aviation and the Ilyushin Design Bureau announced last month a cooperative effort to determine the feasibility of jointly designing, manufacturing, certifying, marketing, selling and servicing a new regional jet for global operations.

Boeing has a long relationship with Russian industry and has invested approximately $1 billion in the past 10 years. Throughout the country, thousands of Russian scientists, engineers and technicians work with Boeing on an array of programs, including the International Space Station and the Sea Launch program. Boeing and Russia also work together on the expansion of Russian polar routes, as well as many research activities in airplane safety and technology, support for domestic airlines and the development of new materials.