June 2, 2006
The first A330 Multi-role Tanker Transport (MRTT) platform was formally presented during a "roll-in" ceremony today, marking a key on-time milestone in the development of the world’s most advanced aerial tanker system.
This event occurred inside a brand new EADS CASA conversion and modification center at the company's Getafe, Spain factory near Madrid, where the no. 1 A330 MRTT will be outfitted with its full complement of aerial refueling systems and mission equipment for delivery to the Royal Australian Air Force.
"Today’s A330 MRTT roll-in ceremony – which also marks the inauguration of a very impressive EADS conversion facility – represents tangible milestones in a program that has imperatives for schedule and timing," said Air Vice-Marshall Clive Rossiter, who heads Australia's Defence Materiel Organisation’s Aerospace Systems Division. "In fact, EADS has delivered ahead of schedule, which is extremely important in a project as ambitious as this one."
Australia’s A330 MRTT is a similar platform configuration to the KC-30 Advanced Multi-role Tanker/Transport, which Northrop Grumman and EADS North America are offering for the capitalization of the U.S. Air Force's aging aerial refueling fleet. The Royal Australian Air Force's five A330 MRTTs will be outfitted with a state-of-the-art centerline Air Refueling Boom System (ARBS) with fly-by-wire controls, plus two under-wing hose and drogue pods. In addition, the aircraft will carry an electronic warfare suite that protects against surface-to-air missile threats, along with a Link 16 network system that provides real-time airborne connectivity.
In his speech at the June 2 roll-in ceremony, Rossiter said aerial refueling is a key force multiplier for any country, and particularly Australia – which has a land mass comparable to the continental United States and a wide area of strategic interest, but with a small population and a very modest defense budget.
"Our motto for the MRTT program is: 'extending Australia's air power,' and this is exactly what the A330 will do," Rossiter told guests attending the event. "The aircraft’s combination of hose & drogue and boom refueling systems represents an important capability enhancement for us. Not only will it allow the air force to refuel Australia's own F-18s, F-111s, airborne warning/control aircraft and C-17 strategic airlifters, it will greatly contribute to our participation in allied and coalition operations."
The no. 1 A300 MRTT delivered today is fully painted in the Royal Australian Air Force's colors, and its main deck already is outfitted for a capacity of 272 passengers – with 32 business class seats in the forward cabin and two economy cabins configured with the remaining 240 seats. Both the forward and rear underfloor cargo zones on the A330 accommodate 88 X 108-inch military standard pallets and baggage, which meets the Australian air force’s cargo requirements on strategic airlift missions.
Carlos Suárez, EADS CASA's Vice President for Airbus Military Derivative Programs, predicted the A330 MRTT will become the benchmark for new-generation tankers worldwide. "It is a multi-mission platform that provides true strategic capability during war and in peacetime," he said. "There will be a lot of attention paid to the Royal Australian Air Force A330 MRTT program, and our entire industrial team is committed to delivering on the project’s timing and meeting the operational targets."
Suárez said negotiations have entered their final phase for the acquisition of A330 MRTTs by the United Kingdom for its Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft mission requirement. The A330 MRTT is entered in several international competitions, and preparations are gearing up to offer it for other acquisitions that are planned in Europe and elsewhere.
