PARIS (AP) -- European plane maker Airbus will sign a contract Thursday to provide aircraft refueling tankers to the British military, the head of Airbus parent company EADS was quoted as saying in an interview.
Jean-Louis Gallois confirmed the deal in an interview with French daily Le Figaro.
''It's a new demonstration of the quality of our product that has won out five competitions in a row,'' he was quoted as saying. ''We are very proud.''
A report in French business daily La Tribune said the contract is valued at 18 billion euros ($28 billion).
The deal would come on the heels of EADS's February contract with the Pentagon.
Under the hotly contested deal, EADS beat out its U.S.-rival Boeing for the $35 billion contract to build refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force.
Airbus has also landed similar contracts with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and Australia.
