Bombardier is engaged in active recruitment with a strong commitment to further job creation and diversification in Wichita.
Bombardier has expanded its footprint in Wichita by designating it as its new US Headquarters. This expansion includes a service center that supports Bombardier’s entire family of Learjet, Challenger, and Global business jets along with an expert flight test center. It is one of the world’s leading flight test centers that perform testing and certification of aircraft upgrades on all new Bombardier aircraft programs, including the ongoing certification campaign for the Challenger 3500 jet. From three hangars just four years ago, Bombardier’s Wichita service center has expanded to include seven hangars today.
Wichita is also home to the newly renamed Bombardier Defense, reflecting the strategic expansion of its existing Specialized Aircraft division. The expanding defense market is a key area of growth for the company. With the reinvented Bombardier Defense, led by Steve Patrick, Vice President, Bombardier Defense will leverage Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) design, manufacturing, and certification expertise to provide agile, innovative solutions hosted on Bombardier’s class-leading aircraft platforms. This center of excellence for defense applications, technology, and innovation fully leverages the Wichita workforce and local industry.
Tonya Sudduth, former Vice President of Operations, Wichita site, has accepted the newly created role of Head of U.S. Strategy. Based in Wichita, Tonya Sudduth will lead Bombardier’s U.S. strategy, leveraging her extensive knowledge and rich aerospace experience to build strong relationships with key stakeholders in the community, government, and industry to further strengthen and grow Bombardier’s presence across all its sites in the U.S.
Éric Martel, President, and CEO, Bombardier said, “Wichita was the obvious choice as the home ofBombardier’s new U.S. Headquarters and Bombardier Defense. For more than 60 years, the established skills and expertise from the Air Capital of the World is second to none, and this latest confirmation from the United States Air Force is a testament to the confidence they have in our aircraft and importantly, in the strength of our people in Wichita.”
The US Air Force has awarded Bombardier with firm orders for modified Global 600 for USD465 million in support of the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) program. Last year, Bombardier was awarded the sole-source engineering and modification Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract from the USAF to modify up to six Global 6000 business jets to become E11-A BACN platforms.
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Bombardier Defense will continue to leverage Wichita’s highly reputed expertise to provide in-service support and upgrades to the USAF’s expanding BACN fleet, underscoring Bombardier’s status as a key U.S. aerospace employer.
