Aircraft

CAE has won new deals to provide training equipment to support future operations of the Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport by the air forces of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Placed via Airbus Military, the deals cover the delivery of part-task trainers and procedural trainers to both customers, with their equipment to be similar to that already under contract for the Royal Australian Air Force.

Saudi Arabia recently doubled its A330-200-based tanker order to six aircraft, with the UAE having earlier signed for three of the type, which has also been selected for the UK Royal Air Force.

© Airbus Military
The Royal Saudi Air Force will receive six A330-based tankers

The UK's second of 14 Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft performed its first flight from Airbus's Toulouse plant in France in August, when the RAAF's second of five A330-based KC-30s also achieved its power-on milestone. The aircraft was the first to have been modified for the tanker mission in Australia by Qantas Defence Services.

© H Goussé/Airbus
The UK's second Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft was recently flown

CAE's new contracts were announced as part of a more than C$100 million ($91.2 million) package of deals disclosed by the Canadian company on 26 August. This also includes an order to modernise two simulators for the German army's upgraded Sikorsky CH-53 transport helicopters, under a subcontract with Eurocopter.

To be completed by late 2011, the work will include the production of new cockpits for the CH-53 simulators, and the integration of CAE Medallion 6000 image generators.