International aerospace and defence engineering group Meggitt today announced that it has finalised the terms of a long-term supply agreement with Airbus. Meggitt will supply Airbus' A321neos with its latest NuCarb carbon brake, and a new wheel specifically designed to improve the performance characteristics of the aircraft.

These next generation technology performance enhancements are key to enabling the A321neo's higher gross takeoff weight, whilst bringing significant operating cost and reliability improvements.

NuCarb is the very latest in carbon technology and is the longest lasting carbon available on the market. It is produced in Danville, Kentucky, in one of the world's most modern carbon manufacturing facilities. This project will be delivered by Meggitt along with a programme of flight testing and certification that has been developed in conjunction with Airbus' launch schedule.

Tony Wood, Meggitt Chief Operating Officer, said: "We broke new ground with Airbus two decades ago, and are proud to be doing so again by pairing our NuCarb technology with the A321neo. Meggitt is proud to be partnering with Airbus to bring state of the art technology to the A321neo programme."

Meggitt's relationship with Airbus dates back several decades. 20 years ago Meggitt collaborated with Airbus to design the first A321 aircraft wheel and brake. Following two successful decades of collaboration, Airbus and its customers have now requested Meggitt's latest state of the art technology in this field.