EADS North America To Provide Support And Service To Four CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft For Mexican Navy

Herndon, VA - (Marketwired) - EADS North America will deliver contractor logistics support and service (CLSS) to four CN235-300 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) for Mexican Navy. The CLSS contract consists of one base year with four one-year options. The contract includes a field service representative to provide on-site technical support, management of parts and depot maintenance.

EADS North America delivered the four Airbus Military CN235-300 MPAs to the Mexican Navy in 2011 and 2012 under a U.S. Coast Guard managed foreign military sales agreement. The CN235-300 MPAs enhance Mexico's ability to support the Mérida Initiative, a cooperative security arrangement between the U.S., Mexico and Central American countries. The aircraft's missions include homeland security, search and rescue, military readiness, cargo and personnel transport, drug interdiction and maritime environmental protection.

"This aircraft is playing a vital role serving American security interests, and we're proud to continue to support this key foreign military sales initiative for the U.S. government," said Sean O'Keefe, EADS North America Chairman and CEO.

The MPA configuration of the CN235-300 incorporates the latest technology developed for surveillance over the sea. The combination of a forward-looking infrared system and search radar allows the aircraft to locate and track ships to conduct thorough patrols of a coastline. The Automatic Identification System and the Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS) help make this aircraft the ideal tool to carry out military surveillance missions for the Mexican Navy. The FITS was developed by Airbus Military and ensures that the extensive data gathered by the aircraft's onboard sensors can easily be used by the crew to execute their mission.

The U.S Coast Guard employs the CN235-300 in the HC-144A Ocean Sentry variant.

About EADS North America
EADS North America is the U.S.-based operation of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defense, and related services. EADS contributes more than $14 billion to the U.S. economy annually and supports over 225,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers. EADS North America, headquartered in Herndon, Va., offers a broad array of advanced solutions to meet U.S. military and commercial requirements, including fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, homeland security systems, public safety communications, defense electronics and avionics, and threat detection systems.

About Airbus Military
Airbus Military is the only military and civic/humanitarian transport aircraft manufacturer to develop, produce, sell and provide support and services for a comprehensive family of airlifters with a payload range of three to 45 tonnes. An Airbus subsidiary, Airbus Military is responsible for the A400M programme, the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and further military derivatives based on Airbus civil aircraft. These, together with the smaller 'Light & Medium' C295, CN235 and C212, make Airbus Military the global leader in the market for military transport, tanker and surveillance aircraft capable of performing the most varied types of missions. Altogether, Airbus Military has sold more than 1,000 aircraft to nearly 138 military, civil and governmental customers. More than 800 of these aircraft have been delivered. Airbus is an EADS company.

About EADS
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2012, the Group -- comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter -- generated revenues of EUR 56.5 billion and employed a workforce of over 140,000.