Nottinghamshire aerospace firm strikes new deal with aviation giant

A Retford based aerospace engineering company has secured a lucrative long-term deal to supply specialist in-flight equipment for a global aviation giant.

Icon Aerospace Technology has built a dedicated facility to build its state-of-the-art Flexiflow in-flight refuelling hose, and now the firm has struck a long-term deal with global aviation firm Cobham Mission Systems to provide the hoses, which are already used on Airbus A330 MRTT and the Boeing KC-46.

Icon is the only UK manufacturer of in-flight refuelling hoses and has been in the market stretching back more than 60 years.The company specialises in component technology, development and manufacturing and will be supplying in-flight refuelling systems around the world as part of the deal.

Tim Pryce, CEO of Icon Aerospace Technology, said: “Our partnership with Cobham represents another long-term agreement, and provides the vehicle for the type of collaboration that brings innovative and world beating solutions to life. Although we have been supplying products to Cobham for many years, this latest agreement will enable both companies to work together, bringing our product expertise into line with the complete system requirements.”

Icon’s Flexiflow products are already established as the refuelling systems of choice for leading tanker platforms across the world, say the firm.The firm are developing the next generation products that could enable the in-flight refuelling of autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles through work with new technologies such as 3D printing.

Ken Kota, senior vice president and general manager of Cobham Mission Systems, said: “With a legacy of 80 years’ experience, we are recognised as one of the most technically advanced aerial refuelling suppliers in the world and need to work with a supply chain that shares this innovation.

"We have worked with Icon on a number of projects before and have seen first-hand the high-quality products they manufacture. With a dedicated production facility for Flexiflow, we can be assured that Icon can meet our supply demand now and well into the future.This partnership demonstrates our commitment to supporting the UK aerospace supply chain.”

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