Rockwell Collins inks large avionics deal

Rockwell Collins has been awarded a contract by Lion Air, the largest airline in Indonesia, to provide a suite of avionics equipment for 234 Airbus A320 aircraft.

The order is one of the largest avionics orders by a single airline in Cedar Rapids-based Rockwell Collins' history.

Highlighting Lion Air's order is Rockwell Collins' MultiScan Threat Detection System, which is a fully automatic airborne radar system that combines the latest weather science with advanced engineering concepts to identify and analyze thunderstorm cells and alert pilots to threats in the aircraft's flight path, including severe turbulence.

Lion Air also selected Rockwell Collins' multimode receiver, the first certified GPS Landing System receiver, that enables high-integrity navigation. Other avionics selected include Rockwell Collins' automatic direction finder, distance measuring equipment, VOR short-range radio navigation system and HF/VHF radios.

'Commercial airline traffic is rapidly expanding in the Asia Pacific region, elevating the need for airlines to select proven, advanced communication, navigation and surveillance avionics that keep passengers safe and comfortable,” said Jim Walker, vice president and managing director, Asia Pacific for Rockwell Collins.

Deliveries of Lion Air's new Rockwell Collins-equipped Airbus fleet are beginning this month.

Rockwell Collins will report its third-quarter earnings and sales Tuesday. Industry analysts are expecting the company to report a lower profit as it struggles to overcome weaker defense sales and lower equipment sales for business jets.

Analysts are expecting a profit of $1.17 a share, compared with $1.20 a year earlier.