Lockheed Martin and Airbus reaffirm tanker partnership at 2019 Paris Air Show

With an agreement in place to explore U.S. military tanking opportunities, Airbus and Lockheed Martin senior executive leaders met for some "tanker talk" during the 2019 Paris Air Show. The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (A330 MRTT) provided the perfect backdrop for the meeting with (l to r) Alberto Gutierrez, Head of Military Aircraft, Airbus Defence and Space; Michele Evans, Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, and Dirk Hoke, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space.

"Since signing our Memorandum of Agreement with Airbus last December, our teams have been working to expand our business relationship with a focus on providing the U.S. Air Force with the very best capability in aerial refueling," said Michele Evans, Executive Vice President for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "We believe with Airbus' and Lockheed Martin's expertise in air refueling and innovative, combat-tested technologies such as low observability and networking operations, we make a powerful team to address the U.S. Air Force's tanker needs today and into the future."

Dirk Hoke, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, said: "The relationship with Lockheed Martin through this exciting project is growing day by day, and we're looking forward to presenting our offer to the U.S. military in the near future. Our A330MRTT has been refueling U.S. military aircraft on combat missions since 2014, and together with Lockheed Martin's proven record serving the U.S. Air Force we truly believe we can offer unbeatable capabilities."

"We have said it before and I can only repeat it – the A330MRTT is the most successful and most capable tanker platform in the world. It has proven its versatility and capability time and again. It is a tremendous asset for any military, including the U.S.," said Alberto Gutierrez, Head of Military Aircraft at Airbus.