Bradley Perrett covered China, Japan, South Korea and Australia. He is a Mandarin-speaking Australian.
Before joining Aviation Week in 2006 he was a macroeconomics, politics and aerospace journalist with Reuters. Perrett holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Macquarie University, Sydney. He left Aviation Week in 2020.
China’s newly formed challenger to Western defense contractors aims to become a listed, profit-focused company with a revenue target of 160 billion yuan ($23 billion) by 2017. Early hints of the country’s ambitions are now confirmed: Beijing wants a Chinese BAE Systems or Lockheed Martin, a large, integrated supplier of a broad range of weapon systems and military support services for the global market. The new group, provisionally called the Avic Defense Div., is also aiming at enlarging its civil business.
Bradley Perrett (Melbourne ), Amy Butler (Fort Walton Beach, Fla.), David A. Fulghum (Washington), Douglas Barrie (London)
Upgrades to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II are being considered to improve the fighter’s ability to absorb heat from its powerful electronics and systems.
Qantas Airways will cut 90 management positions, adding to a work force cut of 1,500 jobs announced last year. “It is clear that the aviation sector faces considerable commercial challenges for the foreseeable future,” says CEO Alan Joyce. “These changes will mean fewer overheads and reduce the number of layers between those leading the business and those working with our customers, our aircraft and business partners.” Qantas will reassign roles for the remaining managers and also maintain a salary freeze.
