Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Defence
  • /
  • Cobham expands facilities at RAF Brize Norton

Defence

Cobham expands facilities at RAF Brize Norton

Cobham Mission Systems today announced the expansion of its facilities supporting the AirTanker consortium at Royal Air Force (RAF) Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

Above: RAF A330 Voyager refuelling a Tornado and a Typhoon.
Courtesy Cobham © Geoffrey Lee

Cobham Mission Systems aims to increase the capability, speed and efficiency of its repair and return of parts operations. This supports the Voyager fleet of Airbus A330s, which provide state-of-the-art air-to-air refuelling, air transport and aero-medical evacuation capability for the Royal Air Force (RAF).  

Advertisement
ODU RT

“Our team is thrilled to be advancing our Service Centre operations in the AirTanker facility at Brize Norton,” said Jonathan Connell, senior vice president general manager for Cobham Mission Systems in the UK.

“This will allow us to enhance our team’s ability to more rapidly and cost effectively service and repair our equipment installed on the Voyager fleet, which is incredibly critical to the mission of the Royal Air Force. By bringing more of our technology and innovation expertise to benefit broader RAF operations, we’re doubling down on our commitment to helping secure the nation. Additionally, this move gives us a great way to open up more opportunities for repair and service operations through our Service Centre in Wimborne, which will continue to serve as our largest central repair and service hub in the UK.”

By opening more bandwidth of its service and repair team at Brize Norton, Cobham Mission Systems plans to boost service flow and support at its facilities in Wimborne. In total, a core fleet of 10 Airbus A330 Voyager aircraft are supported by a team of designated workshop engineers across the two UK locations.

Cobham Mission Systems continues to invest heavily in further refined technologies, applications and solutions that may inspire future innovations for the aviation marketplace.  

Advertisement
PTC rectangle

Since being awarded the contract in 2008, Cobham Mission Systems has been providing ongoing support to AirTanker and the Airbus A330 Voyager fleet located at the Brize Norton RAF base. Located about 75 miles north-west of London, Brize Norton is the largest RAF station. Cobham is a core part of the AirTanker team, who provide air transport and air-to-air refuelling capability.
 
Cobham Mission Systems provides the most trusted solutions in aerospace globally today, ranging from cutting edge, reliable air-to-air refuelling solutions that include modern tanker hose and drogue equipment, to modern and fully digital electric systems as well as advanced life support solutions. Now delivering fifth-generation hose and drogue designs, Cobham Mission Systems provides a comprehensive portfolio of air-to-air refuelling products that include wing pods, fuselage refuelling units, buddy-buddy refuelling and a range of refuelling probes.

 

Advertisement
Babcock LB Babcock LB
Applied Intuition UK to lead consortium advancing swarming capabilities

Defence

Applied Intuition UK to lead consortium advancing swarming capabilities

12 February 2026

Applied Intuition UK today announced it has been awarded a contract for the first phase of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Defence and Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl) Software Defined Swarms programme, to deliver a complete autonomy test bed for ground-launched, near-surface drone swarms.

Airfield upgrade under way at RAF Coningsby

Defence

Airfield upgrade under way at RAF Coningsby

11 February 2026

A £28 million project to upgrade the airfield at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire is now under way, supporting the station's vital role in defending UK airspace around the clock.

Avon Protection launches EXOSKIN-S2 CBRN protective suit

Defence Security

Avon Protection launches EXOSKIN-S2 CBRN protective suit

11 February 2026

Avon Protection has expanded its EXOSKIN protective ensemble range with the EXOSKIN-S2 high-performance CBRN suit, designed for operators in the military, first responder and special forces segments.

HMG Paints develops apprenticeship pathways

Aerospace Defence

HMG Paints develops apprenticeship pathways

11 February 2026

As National Apprenticeship Week reaches its 19th year, HMG Paints is continuing its commitment to workforce development within the sector through a showcase of the various development pathways found within apprenticeships in the business.

Advertisement
Security & Policing Rectangle
Raytheon

Defence

Raytheon's Coyote NK variant defeats multiple drone swarms

11 February 2026

RTX's Raytheon has successfully showcased the capabilities of its Coyote Block 3 Non-Kinetic (NK) system during a recent US Army demo.

Red Hat to improve MoD

Defence

Red Hat to improve MoD's digital delivery

11 February 2026

Red Hat today announced a new enterprise agreement with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide centralised and scalable access to Red Hat's hybrid cloud platforms and a consistent security footprint, enhancing cloud-native and AI capabilities and improving interoperability across MoD operations and approved third-party providers ...

Advertisement
ODU RT
Advertisement
General Atomics LB