Cobham Mission Equipment has valued its initial involvement in Embraer's KC-390 transport/tanker programme at more than $60 million, and provided the first details of the refuelling system it will supply for the developmental type.
The Brazilian manufacturer confirmed the supplier's selection to deliver the aircraft's wing aerial refuelling pods on 8 September.
"Cobham will supply Embraer with one of its state-of-the-art air refuelling pods, specially modified to fit the KC-390," the UK company said in a 15 September announcement. "The system architecture will be tailored to meet the aircraft's air-to-air refuelling capability requirements, and enable refuelling of a range of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft."
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The selected equipment "has been designed and qualified to the latest and most stringent military requirements", Cobham Mission Equipment vice president Iain Gibson said.
The company, which is also currently supplying hose-and-drogue refuelling systems for the Airbus Military A330-based multi-role tanker transport, said its selection for the Brazilian twin-jet followed "a comprehensive competitive process".
It was also contracted earlier this year to provide similar equipment for the US Air Force's future fleet of 179 Boeing 767-derived KC-46A tankers.
Brazil is the launch customer for the KC-390, having identified an initial requirement for 28 of the aircraft.
Source: Flight International