Airbus A330 MRTT

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A330 MRTT / KC-30B
Type Aerial refuelling and transport
Manufacturer EADS (Airbus)
Maiden flight 15 June 2007
Status Flight Testing
Primary users Royal Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
United Arab Emirates Air Force
Royal Saudi Air Force
Developed from Airbus A330
Variants Northrop Grumman KC-45

The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is an aerial refuelling tanker aircraft based on the civilian A330-200. The Northrop Grumman KC-45 is a version of the A330 MRTT for the United States Air Force.

Contents

[edit] Design and development

The A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is a military derivative of the Airbus A330 airliner. It is designed as a dual-role air refuelling tanker and cargo transport aircraft. The wing air refuelling pods are supplied by the British company Cobham. The cargo hold has been modified by Telair to be able to transport military pallets in addition to civilian ULD.

The A330 has a large internal fuel capacity of 111,000 kg (122 short tons) in the wings; fuel capacity can be further increased with underfloor tanks, which would not compromise main deck cargo capacity or seating in the strategic transport role. Standard fuel capacity allows the carriage of an additional 43,000 kg of cargo. Another major benefit of the A330 MRTT is its wing has common structure as the four-engine A340-200/-300 with reinforced mounting locations for the A340's outboard engines. The A330 MRTT's wing therefore requires little modification for use of these hardpoints for the refuelling pods.[1]

Standard commercial A330s will be delivered to EADS Spain for fitting of refuelling equipment and military avionics. The first delivery is planned for late 2009.[2]

[edit] Operational history

The A330 MRTT has been selected by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) (5 aircraft), as well as the UK under the RAF's Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) project, to take the place of older tanker aircraft. In both cases the A330 MRTT competed against the Boeing 767 AAR derivative. The RAF will replace its ageing Vickers VC10 and Lockheed Tristar based tankers, while the RAAF is replacing its veteran 707 tanker/transports. Further orders were announced in 2007 from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for three frames each.

[edit] Australia

The RAAF's five airframes will be equipped with both a probe and drogue and a refuelling boom. Australia was initially to procure four aircraft with an option to obtain a fifth, however the RAAF has since decided to go ahead with the procurement of the fifth aircraft to allow for two simultaneous deployments of two aircraft, with the fifth providing contingency cover. All of Australia's Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft will be operated by No. 33 Squadron RAAF based at RAAF Base Amberley. The Australian aircraft will be designated KC-30B Multi-Role Tanker Transports.[3]

[edit] United Kingdom

In January 2004, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that the A330 MRTT had been selected to provide air-refuelling for the RAF for the next 30 years under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme. The UK Ministry of Defence then began exclusive negotiations with the Airtanker consortium. However, beginning in April 2004, there have been continuing rumours on the fragile state of the contract negotiations. This culminated in an ultimatum by the UK's Defence Procurement Agency, delivered to EADS, demanding a reduced price for the aircraft.

In June 2007, The UK Ministry of Defense gave the green light to a private finance initiative deal worth about £13 billion ($26 billion) to equip the UK Royal Air Force with the 14 A330 MRTT tankers, which will begin to replace the Royal Air Force's existing L-1011 and VC10 tankers from 2011 - two years later than originally planned. The RAF aircraft will operate solely with the probe and drogue (also used with Airbus A310 MRTT).

On 27 March 2008 The UK Ministry of Defense signed a deal to lease 14 aircraft from EADS led consortium AirTanker, with the first aircraft due to enter service in 2011. [4]

[edit] United States

Main articles: KC-X and Northrop Grumman KC-45

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) ran a procurement program to replace around 100 of their oldest KC-135E Stratotankers, i.e., initially excluding the more common updated KC-135R variant. Northrop Grumman and EADS offered the A330 MRTT. The Boeing KC-767 was selected in 2002,[5] but the USAF cancelled the KC-767 order when the deal became embroiled in a political controversy due to the nature of the lease agreement.[6]

In 2006, the USAF released a request for proposal (RFP) for a new tanker aircraft, to be selected by 2007, which was updated in January 2007, to the KC-X RFP, one of three acquisition programs that are intended to replace the entire KC-135 fleet.[7] The Airbus A330 MRTT was proposed again by EADS and Northrop Grumman as the KC-30. It again competed against the Boeing KC-767, which is a smaller aircraft (holds about 20 percent less fuel), less cargo, but is also cheaper (about 120 million vs 160 million 2005 US dollars).

The Air Force announced on February 29, 2008, that the KC-30 was chosen as the KC-135 replacement, and will be designated the KC-45A.[8][9]

[edit] United Arab Emirates

In early 2007, the United Arab Emirates announced it had signed a MOU with Airbus for three A330 tankers.[10]

[edit] Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia finalized an agreement to purchase three A330 MRTT tankers on 3 January 2008. [11]

[edit] Specifications

General characteristics

Performance

[edit] See also

Related development

Comparable aircraft

Related lists

[edit] References

  1. ^ A330-200 Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) - Multi-Role Tanker Transporter (MRTT), Europe, Airforce-technology.com.
  2. ^ "Saudi Arabia picks EADS to supply three Airbus A330-based tankers", January 3, 2008.
  3. ^ KC-30B Multi-Role Tanker Transport. Royal Australian Air Force.
  4. ^ EADS wins £13bn RAF tanker deal. BBC News.
  5. ^ Boeing Given Nod on Tanker Lease, Military-Aerospace Technology Magazine; volume: 1, issue: 2, 2002-05-01.
  6. ^ Cahlink, George. "Ex-Pentagon procurement executive gets jail time", http://www.govexec.com, 2004-10-01. 
  7. ^ "Air Force Posts KC-X Request for Proposals", Release Number: 070107, United States Air Force, 2007-01-30. 
  8. ^ At Boeing, shock - and then anger
  9. ^ Butler, Amy, Fulghum, Davis A and Wall, Robert. "Northrop/EADS Clinches U.S. Refueler Deal", Aviation Week, February 29, 2008.
  10. ^ "UAE to buy 3 Airbus refuelling aircraft", Khaleej Times Online, 2007-02-20. 
  11. ^ "Saudi Arabia picks EADS to supply three Airbus A330-based tankers", January 3, 2008.
  12. ^ Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems - KC-45 Tanker

[edit] External links

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