Airbus has delivered more face mask supplies from China to France, Germany, Spain and the UK to support the coronavirus crisis response efforts.

The Airbus A330-200 aircraft, undergoing conversion as multi-role tanker transport and operated by an Airbus crew, arrived to Spain on 28 March with a cargo load of more than four million face masks.

The aircraft manufacturer had already organised flights previously with A330-800 and A400M aircraft and donated thousands of face masks to hospitals and public services around Europe.

Consortium to produce UK ventilators

Airbus is part of a consortium of industrial, technology and engineering businesses across the aerospace, automotive and medical sectors in the UK that will produce medical ventilators for the country.

Other aerospace companies involved in the VentilatorChallengeUK initiative include BAE Systems, GKN Aerospace, Meggitt, Rolls-Royce and Smiths Group.

The consortium says that, over the past week, it has been investigating the production of a range of ventilator design options to meet a high-level specification for a Rapidly Manufactured Ventilator System (RMVS) developed by clinicians and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Following the receipt of a formal order for more than 10,000 ventilators from the UK government, the consortium will now accelerate production of an agreed new design that is based on existing technologies and can be assembled from materials and parts in current production.

The device combines existing proven clinical equipment and is the clinicians’ first choice for the RMVS, according to the consortium. It anticipates a straightforward and prompt regulatory sign-off after the final audit and to begin production this week.

The VentilatorChallengeUK consortium says it is committed to playing its role in delivering both medical ventilator designs to the required specifications and, in conjunction with other companies, organisations and groups, aid the delivery of additional ventilators to the NHS in the UK.