By Associated Press
Mobile, AL – EADS will produce an Airbus civilian freighter in Mobile if the Air Force selects the European firm and its north American partner Northrop Grumman for a military tanker contract.
The refueling tankers would also be produced at Mobile, and EADS said producing both new aircraft in Alabama's port city would add to efficiency and ensure a smooth and continuing production flow.
Officials announcing the plans Monday said the Airbus work could lead to 300 more jobs at Mobile's Brookley Field.
Both the KC-30 Tanker and the A330 commercial freighter are based on the Airbus A330 twin-engine passenger jet.
Northrop Grumman is competing with Boeing for the $40 billion tanker deal. Boeing would build its version of the plane at its factory in Everett, Washington.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)