Tire maker Bridgestone Corp. has secured its first contract with Airbus to supply the European aircraft maker with tires for its A380 superjumbo jets.
Bridgestone will begin supplying tires for the nose and main landing gear of the A380 in early 2006, when the planes are set to go into commercial service, the Tokyo-based company said Tuesday.
"It is further acknowledgment of our competitive edge in advanced tire technology," company Vice President Hideki Inose said.
The tires will be resistant to damage, and will perform reliably even if they are damaged, Bridgestone said.
The A380, which will carry 555 passengers, needs tires that can support more than 560 tons through repeated takeoffs and landings, Bridgestone said.