MURDO MORRISON / LONDON
VT Aerospace is poised to become a full shareholder in Airtanker if it wins the UK's £13 billion ($21.7 billion) Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft contest, expected to be decided in the next few weeks. The company has already been lined up to provide the management services role previously filled by KBR, although as a supplier rather than a risk-sharing consortium member. Late last year KBR left the EADS-led consortium - which is bidding a mix of new and used Airbus A330s for the 27-year private finance initiative contract.
VT says it is "talking to Airtanker about formalising the relationship with a view to eventually becoming a member of the consortium". The current Airtanker shareholders are EADS (40%), Rolls-Royce and Cobham (25% each) and Thales (10%). Airtanker is competing with the Boeing and BAE Systems-led Tanker & Transport Service Company, which includes Serco and Spectrum Capital and is offering ex-British Airways Boeing 767s.
Source: Flight International
