ARLINGTON, Va., July 29 (UPI) -- Cobham PLC reports the receipt of subcontracts by Boeing related to a hose-and-drogue aerial refueling system for U.S. Air Force KC-46 tankers.
The company said the two awards, valued at more than $73 million, relate to the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the program of the aircraft program, including development hardware.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Air Force selected Boeing to provide the next-generation strategic tanker, and Boeing announced it had selected Cobham to provide the hose and drogue refueling systems.
These systems will be manufactured by Cobham Mission Equipment at its air-to-air refueling center of excellence in Davenport, Iowa.
Deliveries on the engineering phase begin in 2014, with low-rate initial production starting in 2015.
The Air Force plans to acquire 179 KC-46 tankers from Boeing and Cobham expects to equip each aircraft with a centerline drogue system.
About 30 tankers will be provided with a pair of wing-mounted aerial refueling pods.
Cobham Mission Equipment is a systems integration business and a leader for air-to-air refueling.
