UK Aerospace Industry Hails Multi-Billion USAF Tanker Deal

(March 1, 2008) -- The Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) has welcomed the selection of the Northrop Grumman - EADS consortium by the US Air Force to provide their future tanker aircraft, the KC-45. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor with EADS/Airbus providing the modified, modern, wide-bodied, twin-engine passenger jet (the A330-200) and Cobham the air refuelling equipment.

The deal, worth around GBP18 billion in total, will deliver huge benefits for the UK economy with GBP3 billion of the deal coming to UK-based factories. For the UK it is the largest defence/aerospace export this decade after the Saudi Typhoon (Eurofighter) deal.


UK factories will build all the wings. All Airbus A330-200 wings are assembled at Broughton and major sub-assemblies such as the leading edge, trailing edge and wing systems are produced at Filton. Filton is also responsible for the design of the wing and the fuel system so it has an important role to play in design changes to enable the aircraft to transfer fuel as air-to-air refuelling tankers.

Cobham will be providing its fourth generation 905E Wing Pods and Fuselage Refuelling Units for the KC-45 fleet. The UK designed Wing Pods have already been selected by the Royal Australian Air Force, Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme, the Royal Saudi Air Force and the UAE.

In the UK it will:

- Secure the Airbus forward order book.
- Help to sustain and protect around 13,000 high-value, long-term jobs directly in Airbus UK, a further 32,000 in the UK supply chain and 90,000 in induced employment around the UK.
- Provide approximately 2.5 - 3.5 years work at current production rates.
- Be worth billions of pounds to the UK economy.
- The benefit to the Airbus supply chain will also be significant. UK suppliers who will benefit from the programme include GKN, Messier Dowty, Hyde, Magellan, CAV and CML.
- Underpin Cobham's air refuelling operations for decades to come, enabling further investment in technology and capability
- Have a UK content on each aircraft of approximately 20%.

Ian Godden, SBAC Chief Executive, said:

"This deal is excellent news for the UK aerospace industry and for the wider UK economy - bringing billions into the country and securing many thousands of high-tech, highly-skilled jobs for the long term.

"The aerospace and defence industries are a manufacturing success story for the UK and this is yet another reason to be immensely proud of the achievements of this sector for the British economy.

"I congratulate the consortium of many of our most successful UK employers for this stunning achievement that puts the transatlantic alliance on a new footing."

Source : SBAC