Farnborough, 20 July 2004
EADS welcomes VT Group as full shareholders in AirTanker, the consortium currently in exclusive negotiations with the UK Ministry of Defence to provide air refuelling and air transport services to the RAF. EADS is the largest shareholder in the consortium with a 40 percent holding. Other shareholders are Rolls-Royce, Cobham (both with 20 percent), Thales and VT (both with 10 percent).
Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich, CEO’s of AirTanker share-holder EADS, said: “EADS is delighted to welcome VT formally into the AirTanker consortium. VT’s decision to form a deeper rela-tionship with AirTanker and to invest in the project re-inforces the commitment of all AirTanker’s shareholders to conclude a PFI con-tract that meets the MoD’s requirements.”
AirTanker is offering a fleet of Airbus A330-200 aircraft each pow-ered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines to meet the UK FSTA requirement. 50% of the basic aircraft and 100% of its conversion work will be carried out in the UK.
The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme is a 27-year MoD PFI contract to provide air refuelling and air transport services to the RAF. It will replace the RAF’s current fleet of 19 VC 10s and 9 Tristar aircraft. The aircraft will be owned and supported by AirTanker while the service will be staffed by service personnel and under the operational control of the RAF.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2003 EADS, generated revenues of € 30.1 billion and employed a workforce of about 109,000. The EADS Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the second largest missile producer in the global market. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is the largest industrial partner for the European satellite navigation system Galileo.
