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Issue 42 - May 19, 2008

In this issue of the EADS North America Tanker Activity Update:

•	June 28 groundbreaking ceremony for the KC-45A Tanker industrial facility
•	New commercial bookings expand the A330’s customer base and backlog

June 28 groundbreaking ceremony for the KC-45A Tanker industrial facility

EADS North America will join with Northrop Grumman Corporation on June 28 for the official groundbreaking of the KC-45A Tanker’s new manufacturing center of excellence at Mobile, Alabama’s Brookley Field.

This ceremony, which has been scheduled pending the outcome of the Government Accountability Office review of the tanker contract award, also will involve local, state and federal officials, as well as the citizens of Mobile and the Gulf Coast region.

Two manufacturing facilities will be created at Brookley Field to produce the nation's new fleet of aerial refueling tanker aircraft.  At the larger of these two, EADS’ Airbus business unit will assemble, test and certify the KC-45A Tanker airframe for EADS North America’s delivery to Northrop Grumman.  At the adjacent industrial site, Northrop Grumman will outfit the KC-45 Tanker with its mission and refueling equipment.

The Airbus manufacturing facility at Brookley Field also will produce the A330-200F civilian freighter, which – like the KC-45A Tanker – is based on the best-selling A330 jetliner.

New commercial bookings expand the A330’s customer base and backlog

The A330 jetliner, on which the KC-45A Tanker is based, has further broadened its commercial success with two new bookings from international airline operators.

North African carrier Tunisair has signed for the acquisition of three A330-200s as part of a major development plan that will modernize and expand the aircraft inventory of this growing airline. The A330s, will allow Tunisair to update its wide-body fleet and seamlessly enter the long haul market with new routes to North America in the near future, using the most modern and cost efficient aircraft in the market today.

Separately, AirAsia X – the new long-haul low cost-carrier of the AirAsia Group – has ordered an additional 10 A330s, which brings the airline’s total A330 acquisition to 25 aircraft.    AirAsia X currently is operating its long-haul, low-cost service with leased A330s and these will be joined by the first of the newly ordered aircraft later this year.  Azran Osman-Rani, the CEO of AirAsia X, said the A330 has proven itself to be a profitable and efficient aircraft that are tailored for the airline’s long-haul operations.

As of April 30, total orders for the A330 jetliner family stood at 927.  With 538 aircraft delivered, the A330’s solid backlog of 389 aircraft ensures high-rate production over the long term, supported by an active supply chain.

Contact:
Guy Hicks
Vice President – Communications and Public Relations
EADS North America
Tel: 703 236-3300
e-mail: guy.hicks@eads-na.com