EADS North America prepares to build KC-45 tanker production facility in Mobile, Alabama

EADS North America today announced that it is soliciting bids through its recently selected program management firm for design and construction of the Mobile Conversion Center where KC-45 aerial refueling tanker aircraft will be militarized for the United States Air Force. Preparation for construction of the facility began in November with the selection of Hoar Program Management to oversee the project.

The selection of a program manager and initiation of work on the Mobile Conversion Center reflects EADS North America's commitment to produce the KC-45 in the U.S. and put Americans on the job as soon as possible.

The conversion center is one part of a large aircraft production facility that EADS North America will construct in Mobile, Alabama, to build the KC-45 in the United States if the Air Force selects it as its new aerial refueler. The KC-45 will create or support 48,000 American jobs across the country, and create more than 1,500 direct positions in Mobile. Construction of the production facilities also will create thousands of related jobs in the Gulf Coast area.

EADS North America has also committed to build commercial A330 freighter aircraft at the same site, resulting in the capability to produce more than twice as many aircraft annually in the U.S. than required to support the U.S. tanker program.

EADS North America already has begun work related to the KC-45 in Alabama. Earlier this year, the company began its transfer of the KC-45 program management team –nearly 200 employees – to new offices in Mobile.

"The Air Force has had to wait far too long for a new tanker, and the 48,000 Americans who will build the KC-45 have had to wait far too long for the jobs," said Ralph D. Crosby Jr., EADS North America Chairman. "If our tanker is selected by the Air Force, we are well positioned to hit the ground running on day one."

"All of us at Hoar were thrilled and humbled to be selected for a project that is so vitally needed by our nation and our state," said Mike Lanier, Principal with Hoar Program Management. "This selection was a testimony to all of the great work our people do for our clients each and every day, and we are eager to begin work at once."

Hoar Program Management will begin Advertisements for Qualifications effective December 12, 2010 and will begin issuance of Request for Qualification packages effective December 13, 2010. All interested parties, represented by one primary point of contact, may submit their information electronically via the web at http://www.hoarpm.com.

The KC-45 is the U.S. configuration of the Airbus Military A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport, which is in production for four U.S. allies who selected it over Boeing tankers in four straight competitions. The KC-45 is the only tanker offered to the U.S. Air Force that is flying and refueling today, with more than 1,300 aerial refueling contacts and 1.2 million pounds of fuel transferred.

Hoar Program Management was established in 1998 and is headquartered in Birmingham, with a regional office in Mobile, Alabama. The firm is a leading national and regional provider of construction management, program management, pre-construction, and design management ser¬vices. The firm man¬ages in excess of $300 million in capital projects annually. Hoar is Alabama's largest Program Manager and consistently lands among the Top 50 Program Managers in the nation as ranked by Engineering News-Record magazine, a leading industry publication.


About EADS North America
EADS North America is the North American operation of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. As a leader in all sectors of defense and homeland security, EADS North America and its parent company, EADS, contribute over $11 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support more than 200,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers and services. Operating in 17 states, EADS North America offers a broad array of advanced solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland security, aerospace and defense markets.

About EADS
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. In 2009, the Group - comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter – generated revenues of € 42.8 billion and employed a workforce of more than 119,000.

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