Very sneaky Northrop Grumman, or should I say...Airbus! After being a bit coy about the current status of any A330 already being prepped for tanker conversion, the team has apparently let the cat out of the bag by indicating that ship D-1, the first KC-45, has already arrived at EADS' passenger-to-cargo conversion shop in Dresden Germany. It had mainly been kept under wraps until late last week due in part to the current protest over the tanker contract award by Boeing. Dresden is just the first stop for D-1. After there it will fly to CASA's Madrid shop for it's refueling systems, then on to Northrop Grumman's Melbourne, Florida facility for defensive systems. All these mods plus assembly should take place at the new Mobile plant when the program finally gets rolling. The KC-45 team is still speculating a 2010 first flight, protest pending. Would it really take that long? Check out the picture below...don't the flags have you fooled?
Photos: Northrop Grumman
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Tuesday, April 1, 2008
First KC-45 already set for mods?
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1 comment:
1. Northrop Grumman is Prime Contractor. EADS is the junior partner providing the bus chassis.
Kudos to Boeing's PR machine for getting 'Airbus' stamped on a Northrop Grumman project.
2. The first aircraft flew before contract award. It's been a very public construction and development effort. NG bought the plane knowing if the contract didn't go, they could sell it: A330Freighters are in demand.
3. 2010 IS ambitious. Read up on how much is being put in this plane to find out why.
4. The finished tanker content is 60% American. The flags are a gentle reminder to the Airbus bashers that an American company is prime.
Like your blog BTW!
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