Vought Delivers 100th MV-22 Osprey Empennage To Bell Helicopter

DALLAS, JUNE 27, 2008 – Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. achieved a major milestone this week by delivering its 100th composite empennage unit to Bell Helicopter in Amarillo, Texas, for the MV-22 Osprey variant.

“Everyone who works on this program recognizes the value our military services place on the Osprey,” said Program Director Chris Gould. “We are honored to be a part of this production team and support an aircraft platform that plays such a vital role with our troops.”

Three Vought facilities support the Osprey program. Vought’s Dallas facility is responsible for the engineering, design and production of the empennage. Its Nashville site, which currently fabricates the bond portion of the ramp door, was responsible for producing the first 62 shipsets of the empennage. Vought’s facility in Milledgeville, Ga., builds side skin assemblies, sponson and main landing gear panels.  About 245 people at Vought work on the Osprey program (200 in Dallas; 30 in Milledgeville; and 15 in Nashville).

The V-22 Osprey is produced under a strategic alliance between Bell Helicopter and The Boeing Company. It is the first aircraft designed from the ground up to meet the needs of the Defense Department's four U.S. armed services. The tiltrotor aircraft takes off and lands like a helicopter. Once airborne, its engine nacelles can be rotated to convert the aircraft to a turboprop airplane capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight.

Under the current program of record, the Marine Corps will purchase 360 MV-22s for missions including amphibious assault, ship-to-objective maneuvers and sustained operations ashore.  The Navy is slated to receive 48 MV-22s, which could be used for fleet logistic support and search and rescue. The Air Force Special Operations Command will acquire 50 CV-22 variants, with enhanced capabilities tailored for their unique mission requirements.

Bell Helicopter, a Textron (NYSE:TXT) company, is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tilt rotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell's global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries.

About Vought

Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. (www.voughtaircraft.com) is one of the world's largest independent suppliers of aerostructures. Headquartered in Dallas, the company designs and manufactures major airframe structures such as wings, fuselage subassemblies, empennages, nacelles and other components for prime manufacturers of aircraft. Vought has annual sales of approximately $1.6 billion and about 6,600 employees in nine U.S. locations.

This release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in government procurement priorities and practices or in the number of aircraft to be built and challenges in the design, development, and production of such aircraft; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in Vought’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.