Yeovil-based Aerosystems International (Ael) has been awarded the £7 million contract to fit eight of the RAF's fleet of Air-to-Air refuelling tankers with state-of-the-art communications systems.

The British tankers are popular with the US pilots flying F14 Tomcats and F/A18C Hornets, because the refuelling system they use is very similar to that of the US Navy. The Ministry of Defence estimates that a fifth of all US carrier-based aircraft taking part in missions over Afghanistan have been refuelled by the RAF

Tactical Data Links act as a communications glue, letting ground, sea and air forces see and talk to each other. They help friendly forces identify each other and quickly alert them to the presence of hostile elements. If required, the terminals also include secure voice communications links to stop hostile forces "eavesdropping".

The new systems will allow all friendly aircraft and other units linked by Tactical Data Links and operating over Afghanistan to see where our tankers are and vice versa.

The URC-138(V) terminals, built by Rockwell Collins, will be fitted by Ael, and linked to an Ael computer system, which will provide a real-time electronic picture of the battlespace to the aircrew.

The terminals, slightly larger that a shoebox, will replace those temporarily fitted by Ael to the tankers at the start of the Afghanistan campaign, which were the size of a small fridge and significantly heavier than their new equipment now being fitted.

Minister for Defence Procurement Lord Bach said:

"One of the many benefits the new systems offer our Armed Forces is a far better picture of the battlespace, resulting in a much reduced risk of fratricide, as the technology makes it far easier to identify the location of friendly forces"

The systems will be fitted to five VC10 and three TriStar aircraft.

1. Tactical Data Links (TDL) are a product of the computer age, where information in all areas of warfare is exchanged automatically between platforms by computers, leaving operators free to interpret and act upon commonly held data. TDL are the prime means of transferring information between platforms and command systems in real time, consisting of a communications bearer system (terminals) and a set of formatted messages for information exchange.

2. Total allied investment on Tactical Data links will probably exceed £50 billion by 2030. Over the next five years, the MoD will be installing terminals in a number of different platforms, including Nimrod MRA2 and Sea Kings.

3. The Rockwell Collins URC-138(V) terminal is a fully inter-operable Link 16 terminal designed to operate in a multi-national environment alongside the JTIDS Class II, MIDS and Fighter Data Link terminals. The terminal also includes a secure voice communications link, allowing friendly forces to communicate without risk of interception.

4. Aerosystems International Ltd (AeI) was founded in 1985 as a joint venture between GKN and BAE Systems, with its headquarters based in Yeovil, Somerset. For further information please contact Emma Taylor on (01935) 443000 or visit the company's website at www.aeroint.com.

5. Six RAF tanker aircraft, two TriStars from 216 Squadron and four VC10s from 10 Squadron, were deployed to the Middle East at the start of the bombing campaign on Oct 7. The tankers flew every day to ensure the American aircraft are able to fly long enough to complete their missions.

6. The MoD Website can be found at http://www.mod.uk. It provides a link to our on-line news service, UK Defence today, which can also be accessed directly at http://news.mod.uk.

7. Photographs of the air tankers in action are available from DPA Press Office (see below)

8. For further information please contact Brian Sheehan, DPA Press Office on 0117 913 0637, E-mail: dpa-sec1news4@dpa.mod.uk.

Issued by: The Defence Procurement Agency Press Office, Maple 1c #2120, MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol, BS34 8JH. 0117 91 30636/30637/30638 DPA_Sec1NEWS1@dpa.mod.uk/DPA_Sec1NEWS2@dpa.mod.uk

AN EXECUTIVE AGENCY OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE