Airbus A330 MRTT

A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport

Description
Role	Air-to-air refueling
Crew	2 Pilots & AAR operator
Unit Cost	Undisclosed
Primary Contractor	EADS
Date Deployed	Estimated 2008
Inventory
Dimensions
Length	193 ft	59 m
Wingspan (to winglet tips)	197 ft 10 in	60.3m
Height	57 ft	17.4m
Cargo
Weights
Dry
Loaded
Max. peace-time take-off Weight	507,000 lb	217,000 kg.
Powerplant
Engines	Two Rolls-Royce Trent 700 turbofan engines
Power	71,000lb each	316 kN each
Performance
Maximum speed	540 kt	Mach 0.82
Ferry range	6,450 nm / Global, with in-flight refueling
Service ceiling	41,000 ft	12,500 m
Load

The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is a next generation aerial refueling tanker aircraft based on the Airbus A330-200.

One of the greatest attiributes of the A330 as a tanker aircraft is its massive internal fuel capacity, the 111,000 kg of fuel is held in the wings which leaves the lower deck available for cargo. With underfloor tanks the fuel capacity can be further increased while retaining main deck cargo capacity or seating for strategic transport. Another major benefit is the fact that as the 2 engine A330 and 4 engine A340 share the same wing, the A330 MRTT can use the extra two wing hardpoints for refueling pods.

The aircraft has been selected by Australia (RAAF) and the UK (RAF) under its Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft project. While the UK aircraft will operate solely in the probe and drogue role Australia's 5 jets will also be equipped with a refueling boom. The UK are seeking to replace their ageing Vickers VC10s and Tristar fleets while the RAAF are replacing their veteran 707 tanker/transports. Australia were initially to procure four aircraft with an option for a fifth, however the RAAF decided to procure the additional aircraft to allow two simultaneous deployments of two aircraft, with the fifth providing contingency cover.

EADS offered the A330 MRTT to the USAF to replace its KC-135 fleet. Initially rejected in favour of the KC-767, EADS is continuing to market the aircraft to the U.S. due to the current controversy over the KC-767 lease arrangement. The original rationale for rejecting the A330 in 2002, which has some greater attributes as a tanker than the 767, was that Airbus lacked experience of aerial refueling aircraft. However since then Airbus has been selected by both the UK and Australia and will have operational experience of refueling booms before even the most demanding USAF in service date, those being flight tested on the Airbus A310 MRTT first.

UK doubts

Following aircraft selection the UK MoD began exclusive negotiations with the Airtanker consortium. However, beginning in April 2004, there have been continuing rumours about the fragile state of the contract negotiations. This culminated in an ultimatium by the UK's Defence Procurement Agency, delivered to EADS, demanding a reduced price for the aircraft. With continuing doubts over the FSTA programme Marshall Aerospace, responsible for the conversion of the RAF's original Tristars, have offered to buy and convert some of the large number of surplus commercial Tristars. This would give the UK a much needed increase in capacity (with the upcoming retirement of the VC-10 fleet) at a fraction of the cost of the Ł13Bn FSTA project.