OREANDA-NEWS. March 12, 2015. Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced today it that 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 has been an outstanding partner for Boeing for almost 40 years,” said Boeing Japan president George Maffeo. “The Nabtesco team has consistently provided on-time, high quality flight control system assemblies and system components for the current 777 and we are delighted to continue the relationship – and increase the scope of work – for decades to come with the new 777X. Boeing has recognized Nabtesco for quality work, and was named Supplier of the Year in 2013. We thank them for their commitment and partnership.”

“We are honored to have been selected by Boeing and proud to play a role in what we know will be another leading airplane program,” said Nabtesco Aerospace Company president Nobutaka Osada.

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 percent 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.

Boeing has partnered with Japanese aerospace companies for nearly five decades to develop and manufacture the Next-Generation 737, 737 MAX, 747, 767, 777, 787 Dreamliner, and now the 777X. In 2014, Boeing spent more than \\$4 billion on goods and services in Japan, supporting tens of thousands of aerospace jobs.

The 777X builds on the passenger-preferred and market-leading 777 family of airplanes. The 777X family includes the 777-8X and the 777-9X – both designed to respond to market needs and customer preferences.

To date, Boeing has received 300 orders and commitments for the 777X from six airlines worldwide. Design of the 777X is under way and production is set to begin in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2020.