Issue 57 – June 29, 2009

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

•	EADS delivers its third A330 MRTT platform for the Royal Australian Air Force
•	New airline business further expands the A330 order book

EADS delivers its third A330 MRTT platform for the Royal Australian Air Force

Australia has received the no. 3 EADS A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft platform, which will be outfitted in-country with its full aerial refueling and mission equipment package for operation by the Royal Australian Air Force.

This aircraft will undergo conversion to the military tanker/transport configuration by Qantas in Brisbane, where the no. 2 A330 MRTT already is well advanced in its outfitting process.  Australia is acquiring five A330 MRTTs to augment the country’s air combat capability – extending the range and endurance of its fighters with aerial refueling support, and providing long-range airlift for the transportation of up to 270 troops and cargo.

Service entry date for the Australian A330 MRTT is slated for 2010, with the aircraft to be designated the KC-30 Tanker.

Four of the five Royal Australian Air Force aircraft will be converted in Australia, validating the concept of in-sourcing high-value work for the program, which also is a key industrial element of the KC-45 Tanker offered by Northrop Grumman to the U.S. Air Force.  In the U.S., EADS North America will assemble the A330 platforms at a new aerospace center of excellence in Mobile, Alabama, providing the aircraft to Northrop Grumman for installation of their aerial refueling/mission equipment package and delivery to the U.S. Air Force.

For the Royal Australian Air Force, three of the service’s five A330 MRTT platforms already have been built.  The no. 1 aircraft has successfully completed two phases of EADS’ developmental flight testing, which confirmed the operation of both its advanced centerline Aerial Refueling Boom System (ARBS) and underwing hose and drogue refueling pods, validated the aircraft’s flight control laws and compatibility with a broad range of military aircraft in the tanker and receiver role, and tested its onboard avionics – including NATO-standard Link 16 data communications and the Multifunctional Information Distribution System.

The EADS-developed fly-by-wire ARBS is one of the key technological advantages for the A330 MRTT and Northrop Grumman’s KC-45, providing highly accurate, reliable in-flight refueling for a full range of aircraft, from fighters to airlifters. The system’s high-resolution, panoramic and 3D-vision visualization system enables the aircraft boom operator to remotely control the boom from the cockpit during day or night, and in all weather air refueling missions. The ARBS’ maximum nominal fuel flow rate is 1,200 U.S. gallons per minute.

EADS’s A330 MRTT has won all of the latest competitions for new-generation aerial refueling aircraft, being selected by the air forces of Australia, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In 2008, Northrop Grumman’s KC-45 version of the A330 MRTT was chosen by the U.S. Air Force to recapitalize its aging KC-135 refueling fleet.

In addition to the A330 MRTT aircraft already built for Australia, the first A330 MRTT platform for the United Kingdom recently made its maiden flight.

New airline business further expands the A330 order book

Two new orders for the A330 jetliner – on which Northrop Grumman’s KC-45 for the U.S. Air Force is based – have further expanded the order book for this twin-engine aircraft, supporting its sustained production output over the long-term.

Turkish Airlines has signed for seven A330s, including two of the increased take-off weight versions of the A330-200 that offer an extended flying range of up to 7,200 nautical miles.  Deliveries of the aircraft are scheduled from August 2010 for use on Turkish Airlines’ regional and long-haul routes.

Virgin Atlantic Airways has selected the A330 to modernize the UK carrier’s jetliner fleet, signing a firm contract for six A330-300s, and leasing another four.  These aircraft will enable Virgin to provide highly efficient operations from the United Kingdom to the U.S. and Caribbean.

The A330 is one of the most widely-used widebody aircraft in service today. More than 1,000 orders have been booked to date, with over 600 currently in operation worldwide with 72 operators. The combined A330 fleet has achieved more than 13 million flight hours and serves around 300 destinations worldwide. 

Production of the A330 is set at 8.5 aircraft per month – providing the volume required to meet worldwide demand for its civil and military versions.

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