Alsalam builds F-15 parts
In a major breakthrough, the Riyadh-based Alsalam Aircraft Company has made the first spare parts for the F-15 jet fighters, the company announced here Sunday.
“This is the first time an aviation project of this scale has been established in the Kingdom and we anticipate this will set the stage for additional assembly and manufacturing work that continues to provide high technology jobs for Saudi nationals,” Mohammed N. Fallatah, Alsalam’s president and CEO, said.
Alsalam company has entered a new phase in the company’s 25-year history with their first manufactured component loaded onto Boeing’s F-15 strike fighter.
On July 1 , Alsalam provided the easier explanation of what is to be supplied to be integrated on the RSAF’s F-15S. The delivery marks a milestone for the contract awarded by Boeing in June 2012 for Alsalam to assemble the new wings and forward fuselage sections for the conversion of the F-15S to the F-15SA configuration.
“Over the past 12 months, Alsalam has been undergoing intensive preparations for the loading of the first component piece into the assembly tooling,” Fallatah said. “This marks the transition from conventional maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activity on commercial and military airplanes to a position of creating added value with the assembly of large aircraft components.”
Immediately after signing the F-15SA wing and forward fuselage contract last year the company moved into action assigning a leadership team and developing the project plan that included extensive training.
The training has been intensive both out of country and at the Alsalam facility where new classrooms were built to validate the skills in preparation for the assembly work. With the loading of the first assembly fixture this week, the company begins the process of validating the skills and training during First Article Qualification (FAQ). The FAQ is a rigorous process to ensure the subsequent shipsets of wings and forward fuselages are all built to the detailed specifications and all the components are assembled correctly.
“This was part of the vision for Alsalam when the company was established 25 years ago and, as the company is able to demonstrate world-class performance we will be able to add more high-value work content to our portfolio of capabilities,” Fallatah added.
Alsalam has achieved a Saudization rate of 56 percent and seeks to increase this rate as new contracts are awarded. The target for new programs is set at no less than 60 percent Saudis.
When it comes to aircraft maintenance, modification and technical support in the Middle East, Alsalam Aircraft Company is the pioneer in the industry.
It offers comprehensive services for commercial, corporate, VIP, and military customers worldwide. Its expertise covers civil aircraft maintenance, military aircraft maintenance, programmed depot maintenance (PDM), technical support programs (TSP), manufacturing and assembly, and VIP interior completions in addition to specialized aviation training.
Alsalam is a certified and approved repair station by major aviation authorities locally and internationally as a Part 145 Organization. It is also the only designated warranty center for Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Alsalam builds F-15 parts | Arab News
