EADS CASA Multi Role Transport and Air Refuelling Solutions for Airbus Derivatives
Le Bourget, 01 June 2003
EADS CASA is responsible within EADS for all military transport aircraft derivatives, including the Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). EADS CASA has been working for two yeas now on the development of air-to-air refuelling solutions to offer the wide body Airbus family (A310 / A330) as a high quality, flexible, low risk and cost-effective product to meet short and mid term tanking requirements.
EADS CASA covers the full range of skills required to design, develop, manufacture, test and certify state-of-the-art Tanker Kits to be installed in Airbus platforms matching customer requirements. There are three main different configurations available at present:
* One point tanker, provided with a hose/drogue, centre fuselage refuelling unit (FRU)
* Two point tanker, provided with two hose/drogue under-wing air refuelling pods
* Three point tanker, provided with two under-wing air refuelling pods and one FRU.
There will be a fourth option available from 2005 on. EADS CASA launched in November 2001 a development programme for an Advanced Air Refuelling Boom System (ARBS) to support the firm decision of EADS to enter the air-to-air refuelling market covering the whole range of products (tanker capability based on pods, FRU and boom).
This entirely new boom will have the advantage of offering the latest technology available and the most modern solutions. Besides an advanced boom main structure, it will have fly-by-wire controls, including an automatic load alleviation system, that will give a larger refuelling envelope and improved controllability. The maximum fuel flow will be around 1200 US gal./min. The design will include a release and retraction system with redundant hoist and lock, and independent disconnection capability. A boom operator, sat at a Fuel Operator Station located close to the cockpit, will control an artificial 3D-vision surveillance system during the entire air-to-air refuelling process. Night vision compatibility will also be offered.
The Spanish company CESA, an important supplier of parts for the aerospace industry, will act as the main subcontractor in this project.
EADS CASA is currently involved in two different programmes based on military derivatives of the Airbus A310. One, acting as the main contractor, is the recent acquisition of two Airbus A310-300s to be transformed into VIP versions for the Spanish Air Force with delivery in spring 2003. The other is the conversion into tankers of four Airbus A310-300 MRTs for the German Air Force. For this programme Airbus/Lufthansa Technik is the main contractor, and EADS CASA is acting as the subcontractor responsible for the Tanker Kit design and production. Delivery of the kits for installation on the first aircraft is planned for Spring 2003.
EADS CASA is also responsible for providing the A330-200 MRTT ‘fit for purpose’ tanker within the AirTanker Consortium competing for the U.K. Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) Programme.
EADS and several leading aerospace and defence companies joined forces to form AirTanker to bid for the UK Ministry of Defence’s £9 billion FSTA programme. The FSTA programme is a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) to replace the RAF’s ageing VC10 and TriStar tankers with a complete air-to-air refuelling and air transport service provided by industry. AirTanker’s proposal is based on the latest generation of Airbus wide-bodied A330 aircraft. The proposed solution is equipped with hose and drogue pods under the wings, an FRU in the lower centre fuselage position, a fuel operator station, a video monitoring system, air-to-air rendezvous and operational lighting system with IR capability, military avionics and a full range of defensive aids suite (DAS) options.
EADS ( www.eads.net) is a global aerospace and defence company and is the world’s second largest in terms of revenues with EUR 29.9 billion in 2002. EADS has a workforce of more than 100,000 and is a market leader in defence technology, commercial aircraft, helicopters, space, military transport and combat aircraft, as well as related services. Its family of leading brands includes the commercial aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world’s largest helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter, the space company Astrium and MBDA, the world’s second largest missile company. EADS is the biggest partner in the Eurofighter consortium and heads the A400M military transport aircraft programme. The company has over 70 sites in Germany, France, Great Britain and Spain. It is active in many regions worldwide, including the U.S., Russia and Asia.
For further information contact, please:
Eduardo Galicia Tel.: (+34) 91 -585 7789
EADS CASA
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