Boeing selected BAE Systems to provide its Interior Control Panel for the U.S. Air Force’s KC-46A tanker, the companies said Tuesday. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The touchscreen panel allows an aircrew to control a variety of interior functions such as lighting, potable water and waste tanks on the new aerial refuelling and strategic transport aircraft. The panel will be a derivative of BAE Systems’ 737 Attendant Control Panel (ACP). “Initially designed for commercial aircraft, our touch-screen technology is well-suited for military applications as well,” said Steve Hissong, director of aircraft electronics for BAE Systems. “The system can be easily installed on legacy aircraft, making our touch-screen controls an optimal solution for the KC-46A – whose design is based on a reconfigured Boeing 767.”
Work on the KC-46A tanker touch-screen cabin control systems will be conducted in Johnson City, N.Y., and Fort Wayne, Ind.