AIRBUS

Airbus officials have stated that European authorities have certified an interim fix for a power gearbox issue with engines on Airbus A400M transport aircraft, paving the way for countries to resume normal operations of the planes.

Airbus is to conduct full contact flight trials of the automatic boom mode on its A330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft by the end of 2016. While normally the task of a fully qualified boomer, the technology being subjected to trial, involves the use of real-time video and image processing to track a receiver aircraft’s exact position. If successful, this method is believed will improve time, safety and operational aspects of air-to-air refuelling.

NATO has planned to have MMF tanker fleet of 8 Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport aircrafts financed and operated by eight countries but owned by NATO. To begin with Netherlands is ready to purchase 2 Airbus tanker/transport aircraft with Luxembourg.