IDEX: UAE to get first three MRTT this year Airbus says

 The two other aircraft   from the order will be delivered next year, he said. This puts the UAE’s aircraft ahead of the order for six MRTTs from the Royal Saudi Arabian Airforce.

Two other countries have also ordered the MRTT — the United Kingdom with an order of 14 aircraft and Australia with an order of five aircraft. The first delivery will be made this year to Australia.

Vernet also outlined the progress on the programme for the Airbus A400M which has been ordered by Turkey as well as Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The aircraft will be seen in the region this summer as it will be going through testing under extreme hot weather conditions in Abu Dhabi in July or August of this year,

Vernet said that the global prospects for the A400M is about 400 aircraft over the next 30 years and there are also good prospects for the aircraft in the Middle East and GCC region,

Vernet said Airbus Military would be "looking between 50 to 100 aircraft prospects." There are several countries in the Middle East and North Africa that need planes to transport heavy equipment, he said.

Vernet said that after the 174 aircraft are delivered to their existing customers, they would be able to deliver two to three aircraft per month as of 2015.

The relationship between the UAE and the Airbus parent company EADS is getting closer and EADS is considering agreements to manufacture some military aircraft parts in the UAE he said. Airbus already manufactures components of its commercial aircraft in Abu Dhabi through Mubadala company Strata.