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Issue 44 - June 30, 2008

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

•	The KC-45 Tanker’s advanced aerial refueling boom completes its 100th test flight
•	Sales and deliveries maintain the A330’s market edge in 2008

The KC-45 Tanker’s advanced aerial refueling boom completes its 100th test flight

EADS’ advanced fly-by-wire aerial refueling boom, which Northrop Grumman Corporation will integrate on the U.S. Air Force KC-45 Tanker, has completed its 100th test flight – further demonstrating the system’s maturity and validating the team’s ability to rapidly modernize USAF’s tanker fleet.

Over the course of its extensive test and validation program, the EADS/Military Transport Aircraft Division-developed Advanced Refueling Boom System (ARBS) has:

• Accumulated over 300 flight hours;
• Logged over 60 separate “wet and dry” contacts with an F-16 receiver aircraft;
• Successfully completed flight envelope expansion testing; matured and validated fly-by-wire control laws; and
• Executed proximity, pre-contact and contact flight trials with five different aircraft: the F-16, F-1, F/A-18, C101 and the A330-based Royal Australian Air Force Multi-role Tanker Transport.

The ARBS already is integrated on the first Royal Australian Air Force A330 Multi-role Tanker Transport (MRTT), which is scheduled for delivery by EADS in 2009, and will soon enter the second phase of its flight testing and validation.  The U.S. Air Force’s selection of Northrop Grumman’s KC-45 is the fifth straight win for the A330-based tanker, having been chosen by the air forces of Australia, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Modern fly-by-wire technology incorporated in the ARBS provides enhanced controllability and includes an automatic load alleviation system, which greatly aids the boom operator and the receiver aircraft's pilot during refueling operations.  The ARBS’ Remote Aerial Refueling Operator station employs a three-dimensional vision surveillance system for a high-fidelity view of the boom's position during the entire air-to-air refueling process.  The 55.7 ft. ARBS has the capacity to offload up to 1,200 gallons of fuel per minute.

Sales and deliveries maintain the A330’s market edge in 2008

Sales and deliveries of the A330 – on which the Northrop Grumman KC-45 Tanker is based – continue strong in 2008, as this twin-engine jetliner remains the aircraft of choice in a highly competitive commercial marketplace.

During May and June, Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air ordered 20 A330-300s, while the fast-growing Italian airline Air One contracted for 12 A330-200s plus eight options.

Deliveries during the past several weeks included another A330-200 airframe for conversion as a Royal Australian Air Force Multi-role Tanker Transport, an A330-200 for India’s international carrier Jet Airways, the first directly-purchased A330-200 for Middle East Airlines (MEA), and one A330-300 each to International Lease Finance Corp. (for China Airlines) and to Lufthansa.

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