Cobham, the engineering group, has won a contract to supply fuel tanks to the US Air Force's KC-46 tanker programme.

The tanks enable the KC-46A to fly further and offload fuel during a mission.

The US Air Force plans to initially acquire 179 KC-46A tankers from Boeing, each of which is expected to carry four Cobham body fuel tanks.

Work will take place at Cobham's Mission Equipment division in Iowa.

Iain Gibson, vice president of Cobham Mission Equipment, said he was "delighted" at the contract which will see production through to 2028.

This is the second KC-46 contract Cobham has won; in July 2011 the firm was also awarded work related to the aerial refuelling system that will be used on the tanker aircraft.

Over the last year Cobham's share price has dropped 16.5%.

BS

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