Frontiers May 2014 35 Republic of Korea. We want to grow with them. By helping them understand their capability gaps, we’re not just saying that—we’re showing them,” Kim said. Boeing teams are engaging with customers at similar facilities around the globe. In Brisbane, Australia; Bangalore, India; Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and Fleet, United Kingdom; similar scenarios are being “war-gamed” through video projection on large screens, alongside international customers, in otherwise nondescript buildings. All are part of a Boeing effort to help customers better determine everything from the right mix of fighter, aerial refueling and reconnaissance capabilities to the role advanced services and support might play in their plans—and budgets. Exploring scenarios in this way helps ensure mission success for military decision-makers well before the real mission begins. “Simulation and analysis allow you to fast-forward the future,” explained Raveeswaran Nagarajan, an operations analyst in Boeing’s Bangalore facility. “You can run exercises, then rewind time to see what happened, what mistakes you have made and how you can improve.” Teaming with these customers advantages of visualizing combat scenarios through simulation. “It helps our customers understand what capabilities they need to invest in—it helps them stay ahead of the game,” he said. Abdulrahman Al-Huthail, a systems analyst in Boeing’s Riyadh facility, agreed. “These are great tools for understanding and visualizing the problems and related issues—they make it clearer for the customers,” he said. “They can see the model or sample a solution before they try to solve the problem.” Although providing these capabilities to customers is key to growing business, manager of the Riyadh team AJ Curtis underscored the mutual benefit of partnering with customers. “We’re not here to come in and sell something and then leave,” he said. “We’re here for the long-term relationship.” n eric.j.carlson2@boeing.com embodies Boeing’s global growth strategy, according to Shane Arnott, director of Phantom Works’ Strategic Development & Experimentation— International Engagement, the part of Boeing Defense, Space & Security developing these facilities. The investments Boeing has made—in people, resources and technology—are all evidence, he said, of a commitment to mutual success and directly support the company’s activities in each region. “Having centers in these countries, staffed by local nationals, always available to the customer is a great way to grow trust,” Arnott said. “Our staff live and breathe the problems our customers face and are invested in solving them.” No one understands that better than Rahul Bapat. Prior to joining Boeing’s team in Bangalore, where he manages the simulation facility, Bapat spent several decades in the Indian Air Force, culminating as a test pilot. “Having local teams working local problems, in the local language,” he said, “helps our customers view our solutions as an indigenous product—a big advantage in our competitive environment.” And through his air force experience, Bapat can relate to the PHOTOS: (From far left) Software engineer Hyokyung Kim presents the results of a study in Seoul, Korea; Alharith Almusa, foreground, operates a flight simulator in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as Azzam Alrajhi looks on; the Analysis & Experimentation Lab in Seoul. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Frontiers May 2014 Issue
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