Matt Wiser
September 20th 03, 05:54 PM
simulator > wrote:
>EADS Commits More Than $80 Million in Company
>Funding to Develop
>Systems, Technology for U.S. Tanker Aircraft
>
>
>(Source: EADS North America; issued Sept. 16,
>2003)
>
>
> WASHINGTON, D.C. --- EADS, one of the world’s
>largest defense and
>aerospace companies, is investing more than
>$80 million of company
>funding in developing technology and systems
>to position it as a strong
>competitor for the U.S. Air Force’s future aerial
>tanker modernization
>requirements.
>
>The commitment includes $83 million for the
>design, manufacture and
>testing of an advanced centerline refueling
>boom that incorporates
>fly-by-wire controls and provides a high-volume
>fuel transfer flow. This
>boom, to be mounted under the aft fuselage of
>an Airbus A330 tanker,
>will be used as a primary means for in-flight
>refueling of military
>aircraft such as fighters, transports and special
>mission platforms.
>
>A prototype of the EADS advanced refueling boom
>is being developed by
>EADS Military Transport Division in Madrid,
>Spain, and will be completed
>for ground-based evaluations on a test rig next
>year, to be followed by
>flight testing.
>
>“The A330 Tanker offers a state-of-the-art platform
>and refueling system
>clearly exceeding the performances of competitors'
>alternatives,” said
>Rafael Acedo, Vice President Programs EADS Military
>Transport Aircraft
>Division.
>
>The Air Force has a requirement for several
>hundred aerial tankers to
>assure its in-flight refueling mission for U.S.
>forces worldwide, and
>EADS is committed to be a viable competitor
>in this important program.
>
>“EADS is absolutely committed to success in
>the large tanker market,”
>said Ralph Crosby, Chairman of EADS North America
>– the Washington,
>D.C-based holding company for EADS in the U.S.
>“We are aggressively
>pursuing the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft
>(FSTA) for the United
>Kingdom. In the United States, we have made
>clear to Air Force
>authorities that we intend to compete aggressively
>for all future tanker
>buys – a commitment which has been acknowledged
>and supported by the Air
>Force. The allocation of significant EADS company
>funding to develop the
>refueling boom and other technology underscores
>our intent to be a
>long-term player in this market.”
>
>EADS will propose a military version of the
>Airbus A330 airliner for the
>U.S. Air Force tanker mission. Airbus, one of
>the world’s largest
>civilian airliner manufacturers, is an affiliate
>company of EADS, which
>has broad experience in military aircraft and
>systems.
>
>The A330 military tanker will be equipped with
>three refueling points:
>the advanced centerline boom installed under
>the fuselage, and a pod
>located under each wing with probe-and-drogue-type
>fueling systems that
>are unreeled in flight.
>
>EADS’ advanced centerline fueling boom will
>operate with fly-by-wire
>controls and redundant power supply and actuation
>systems, ensuring
>precise, accurate positioning and fuel transfer,
>as well as a high
>degree of redundancy. The boom is to be remotely
>controlled by an
>operator at a flight deck console that features
>a 3-dimensional viewing
>system. Almost four (4) tons (1200 U.S. gallons)
>of fuel will be
>transferred per minute via the boom to the aircraft
>being refueled in
>flight.
>
>http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?session=dae.930306.1063891984&prod=25864&modele=release
>
Here's the only problem: the NIH syndrome is very contagious in the Pentagon.
If there is an American-designed and built system that can be procured, they
will go for the American one first. Only if there is no domestic alternative
will the various services consider foreign suppliers-although there have
been exceptions: the B-57 and the M-93 Fox NBC vehicle being the most prominent.
Posted via www.My-Newsgroups.com - web to news gateway for usenet access!
>EADS Commits More Than $80 Million in Company
>Funding to Develop
>Systems, Technology for U.S. Tanker Aircraft
>
>
>(Source: EADS North America; issued Sept. 16,
>2003)
>
>
> WASHINGTON, D.C. --- EADS, one of the world’s
>largest defense and
>aerospace companies, is investing more than
>$80 million of company
>funding in developing technology and systems
>to position it as a strong
>competitor for the U.S. Air Force’s future aerial
>tanker modernization
>requirements.
>
>The commitment includes $83 million for the
>design, manufacture and
>testing of an advanced centerline refueling
>boom that incorporates
>fly-by-wire controls and provides a high-volume
>fuel transfer flow. This
>boom, to be mounted under the aft fuselage of
>an Airbus A330 tanker,
>will be used as a primary means for in-flight
>refueling of military
>aircraft such as fighters, transports and special
>mission platforms.
>
>A prototype of the EADS advanced refueling boom
>is being developed by
>EADS Military Transport Division in Madrid,
>Spain, and will be completed
>for ground-based evaluations on a test rig next
>year, to be followed by
>flight testing.
>
>“The A330 Tanker offers a state-of-the-art platform
>and refueling system
>clearly exceeding the performances of competitors'
>alternatives,” said
>Rafael Acedo, Vice President Programs EADS Military
>Transport Aircraft
>Division.
>
>The Air Force has a requirement for several
>hundred aerial tankers to
>assure its in-flight refueling mission for U.S.
>forces worldwide, and
>EADS is committed to be a viable competitor
>in this important program.
>
>“EADS is absolutely committed to success in
>the large tanker market,”
>said Ralph Crosby, Chairman of EADS North America
>– the Washington,
>D.C-based holding company for EADS in the U.S.
>“We are aggressively
>pursuing the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft
>(FSTA) for the United
>Kingdom. In the United States, we have made
>clear to Air Force
>authorities that we intend to compete aggressively
>for all future tanker
>buys – a commitment which has been acknowledged
>and supported by the Air
>Force. The allocation of significant EADS company
>funding to develop the
>refueling boom and other technology underscores
>our intent to be a
>long-term player in this market.”
>
>EADS will propose a military version of the
>Airbus A330 airliner for the
>U.S. Air Force tanker mission. Airbus, one of
>the world’s largest
>civilian airliner manufacturers, is an affiliate
>company of EADS, which
>has broad experience in military aircraft and
>systems.
>
>The A330 military tanker will be equipped with
>three refueling points:
>the advanced centerline boom installed under
>the fuselage, and a pod
>located under each wing with probe-and-drogue-type
>fueling systems that
>are unreeled in flight.
>
>EADS’ advanced centerline fueling boom will
>operate with fly-by-wire
>controls and redundant power supply and actuation
>systems, ensuring
>precise, accurate positioning and fuel transfer,
>as well as a high
>degree of redundancy. The boom is to be remotely
>controlled by an
>operator at a flight deck console that features
>a 3-dimensional viewing
>system. Almost four (4) tons (1200 U.S. gallons)
>of fuel will be
>transferred per minute via the boom to the aircraft
>being refueled in
>flight.
>
>http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?session=dae.930306.1063891984&prod=25864&modele=release
>
Here's the only problem: the NIH syndrome is very contagious in the Pentagon.
If there is an American-designed and built system that can be procured, they
will go for the American one first. Only if there is no domestic alternative
will the various services consider foreign suppliers-although there have
been exceptions: the B-57 and the M-93 Fox NBC vehicle being the most prominent.
Posted via www.My-Newsgroups.com - web to news gateway for usenet access!