Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA)
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On 6 June 2007 the MOD Defence Equipment and Support minister Lord Drayson announced that the Government had approved a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) solution as the most cost-effective means of replacing the RAF’s fleet of VC-10 and Tristar aircraft. AirTanker and the MOD are therefore now working together towards financial and contractual closure of the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) PFI programme. EADS is the lead partner in the AirTanker team with a 40 percent shareholding. Other shareholders are RollsRoyce, Cobham, VT Group and Thales UK.
Air Tanker will become the industrial partner for the £ 13 billion UK Ministry of Defence air-to-air refuelling programme supplying A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) services to the Royal Air Force over a 27 year service period.
The UK Industrial base will benefit from additional EADS tanker orders beyond the proposed UK order. EADS has taken the FSTA as its tanker baseline for other customers around the world meaning that future orders will create and maintain jobs in the UK and help further develop the country’s air-to-air refuelling technology. The first of five A330 MRTTs ordered by the Commonwealth of Australia is currently undergoing flight-testing before entry into service in 2009 with the Royal Australian Air Force. The A330 MRTT has also been selected by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Further information |
