AkzoNobel supplies sustainable coatings for landmark tanker aircraft

A double first has been landed by AkzoNobel’s Aerospace Coatings business after it supplied products for a new long-distance tanker aircraft commissioned by the French Air Force.

Featuring the company’s Aerowave 5001 water-based coating, not only is it the French Air Force’s first new generation A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) aircraft, it’s also the first aircraft of its size to be finished with an external water-based topcoat.

"We’re extremely proud of this substantial achievement, which is testament to the proven performance of our coatings and our commitment to sustainability," said Maud Khelstovsky, AkzoNobel’s Key Account Manager for Airbus.

"Aerowave 5001 is designed to provide all the benefits of a solvent-based coating but with vastly lower VOC emissions. This allows aircraft to achieve the surface durability and chemical resistance upon which they have come to depend, while improving sustainability and helping to ensure regulatory compliance."

The new A330 MRTT was built by Airbus Defence & Space, a global leader in designing, developing and manufacturing military aircraft.

It’s considered to be the benchmark for new generation, multi-role tankers, with 33 currently in operation – and another 27 on order.

AkzoNobel has been collaborating with the Airbus Defence & Space team for nearly three years, helping to address the specific needs of their military programme.

The next milestone for the AkzoNobel and Airbus teams is to complete the Airbus qualification process for Aerowave 5001, planned for all Airbus military airplane programmes in early 2019.