Boeing and Singapore's science and technology agency signed on Oct. 21 an agreement to carry out research projects whose results will be used in Boeing's commercial and military products. This would include research on advanced materials for planes, mathematical computing, modeling, simulation, intelligence systems and computer security, officials said.
The agreement with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research is Boeing's second such collaborative effort in the Asia Pacific region, the other one being with Australia. It is also part of a network of alliances with more than a dozen research institutions worldwide that allows Boeing to tap into a global talent pool for its technology needs.
"We are looking for organizations ... that can help us figure out what the vision ought to be 20 or 50 years from now for the Boeing company and figure out how do we get from here to there from a technology perspective" said Boeing vice president for technology ventures Miller Adams. Boeing chose Singapore as a partner because of the government's strong support for research and development as a long-term pillar of the economy, according to a company spokesman.
Singapore's aerospace industry has grown to be a significant contributor to the economy, generating an annual output of over four billion Singapore dollars (US$2.4 billion).
The city-state hosts more than 100 aerospace firms undertaking a wide spectrum of activities from repair and overhaul of engines to developing avionics and flight entertainment software.
Boeing officials said funding would vary depending on the project. The firm spends more than $2 billion a year for research and development.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2005
