Issue 77 – June 24, 2010

In this EADS North America Tanker Activity Update issue:

Australia's fourth A330 MRTT is delivered for its tanker-transport conversion

The A330 Multi Role Tanker (MRTT) program continues its sustained production pace, with the fourth of five aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force now delivered for its outfitting.

This latest milestone underscores the maturity of EADS North America’s KC-45 tanker offering, which is based on the A330 MRTT already selected by Australia, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The fourth A330 MRTT for Australia arrived in Brisbane on June 18 in preparation for this week’s handover to Qantas Defence Services for outfitting to its tanker/transport configuration.

It will be the third aircraft to undergo the conversion in Australia, underscoring EADS’ ability to establish such activity in A330 MRTT customer countries. For EADS North America’s offer to the U.S. Air Force, the KC-45 will be built at a new center of excellence in Mobile, Alabama. With a U.S. supplier base of more than 200 companies, the KC-45 will be built in the U.S. by 48,000 Americans nationwide.

If the Air Force selects the KC-45, tanker production will be will be complemented by production of civilian A330-200F freighter aircraft at the Alabama facility. This work will significantly boost total aircraft production, with an associated increase in American jobs.

Australia’s in-country conversion work for its A330 MRTTs includes the installation of EADS’ state-of-the-art advanced Aerial Refueling Boom System (ARBS) and two under-wing-mounted digital hose-and-drogue refueling pods. A full set of military avionics, communication systems and defensive countermeasure equipment also is integrated during the conversion process.

Market success continues for the A330 jetliner family

The A330 jetliner – on which EADS North America’s KC-45 tanker is based – continues to demonstrate its capabilities as the “right aircraft, right now” in passenger operations for a growing airline customer base, while its A330-200F freighter version is being readied for service introduction as a new solution for modern mid-sized, long-haul cargo aircraft.

With nearly 700 A330s delivered to date, one of the twin-engine jetliners takes off every 62 seconds somewhere around the globe – flying with more than 80 operators worldwide and serving 300-plus airports. Its continued popularity is underscored by an expanding customer base, as some 25 new operators have been added since 2005.

The twin-engine A330 ranks among the most widely-used widebody aircraft in service today, with more than 1,000 orders booked for the aircraft’s various versions.

An 11,020-lb. increase in maximum takeoff weight introduced this year enhances the A330’s range by 350 nautical miles. The expansion of Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards (ETOPS) to 240 minutes further augments the aircraft’s routing opportunities.

Deliveries of the new A330-200F freighter version will begin this summer, providing operators with a modern aircraft that brings profitability, reliability, versatility and eco-efficiency to the mid-size air cargo marketplace.

With a payload of 154,320 lb. and a range of up to 4,000 nautical miles, the A330-200F is sized as the replacement for aging mid-capacity long-haul freighters, and also offers opportunities to grow frequencies in under-served markets at no additional cost per ton. In addition, the A330-200F provides airlines with a highly efficient solution in replacing services of passenger and cargo “combi” aircraft with a dedicated all-cargo solution.

The A330-200F’s large main-deck cargo door enables the freighter to accept all commonly-used pallets and containers. This electrically-controlled and hydraulically-operated 141 X 101-inch door also is included in the KC-45’s configuration.

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