Pronal, one of Europe’s major manufacturers of bladder tanks designed to store and transport liquids, has developed new elastomer materials for use in manufacturing its onboard fuel tanks for civil and military aircraft, including helicopters.

The company makes fully vulcanized tanks, guaranteeing perfect tightness. The new materials–developed by Pronal–are said to be highly resistant to hydrocarbons and additives and have an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. According to a company spokesman, they are lighter than any other solution on the market.

The company offers different versions: anti-crash tanks that are not damaged if the aircraft crashes, and self-sealing tanks that prevent leakage into the aircraft if they are hit by projectiles. The tanks can be used as main tanks or additional tanks to increase range.