INT - Airbus A310 MRTT

Strategic refueling aircraft

Airbus A310 MRTT

Manufacturer: Airbus
First flight: 2003


Description of the Airbus A310 MRTT strategic refuelling aircraft:


Leading Western European nations are currently addressing the problem associated with fleet renewal in transport and refuelling aircraft. The refuelling aircraft (TaL) used so far, developed and produced in the 1960s and 1970s, whether European (Vickers VC10, Lockheed Tristar, Transall C-160) or American (Lockheed KC-130, Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker) provenance, are already considerably "worn out", morally obsolete and last but not least, no longer suitable in terms of capacity and operating costs. In order to address this problem, the air forces of these countries have carried out a number of upgrades and innovations to these machines with the aim of extending their service life and improving the efficiency of their use.
However, notwithstanding the aforementioned upgrades and innovations to existing aircraft, the primary focus is on the quality renewal of the refuelling fleet. Therefore, a pan-European MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) programme has been launched, leading to the development and production of a multirole aircraft that will act as both a refuelling and a transport aircraft. A number of aerospace and engine companies are involved in this project, including Thales, Cobham plc, Rolls-Royce and also the EADS concern (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V.).
The new aircraft are based on the company's A310 and A330 large-capacity transport aircraft Airbus.
To convert a conventional A310 / A330 transport aircraft into a refuelling aircraft, the following basic modifications had to be made:
- Reinforcement of the cargo hold floor;
- enlarging the side entry door;
- modification of the fuel system;
- installation of military on-board radio electronics systems;
- installation of a military external lighting system.
Within the MRTT project, particular attention was paid to the development and manufacture of the ARBS (Advanced Air Refuelling Boom System) telescopic boom - an air refuelling system. The refuelling process is accomplished by an electrically remote-controlled refuelling boom that is closely linked to the aircraft's own control system. This is controlled by a refuelling operator whose workstation is located in the flight deck. The basic unit is a multifunctional indicator which displays the situation in the rear hemisphere as sensed by cameras operating in the visible and infrared wavelengths. For night refuelling, two on-board illumination reflectors can be used and, if necessary (in poor visibility conditions), an infrared marker can also be used.
According to the experts' assessment, the new European-made ARBS refuelling boom outperforms in virtually all indicators the analogous US devices recently deployed on the Boeing KC-767A refuelling aircraft. Specifically, it has a greater range of altitudes and flight speeds when performing refueling (200 m - 12,000 m, 320 - 640 km/h) and is also 30% faster. In addition, European experts have developed the new Mk.32B-900E overhead refueling device and high-flow fuel pumps, which are superior in performance to the US pumps.
The first TaL A310 MRTT (first take-off in December 2003) was delivered to the German Air Force in early 2004 and four more aircraft have been added to the German Air Force's fleet. In addition, two A310 transport aircraft (Canadian designation CC-150) were converted under the MRTT programme under a contract between the Canadian Ministry of Defence and EADS.
The conversion of the A310 transport aircraft to refuelling is expected to
- the installation of five interchangeable auxiliary fuel tanks in the fuselage, allowing the on-board fuel supply to be increased to 36,000 litres;
- the installation of an ARBS telescopic boom;
- the installation of Mk.32B-900E overhead fillers.
Aircraft conversion is carried out in German aircraft factories of EADS concern.
A number of other European countries have also expressed interest in the TaL A310 MRTT.


The A330 MRTT (first take-off took place on 15 June 2007) envisages using the A330-200 transport aircraft as a base. The scope of work required to convert the aircraft to the A330 MRTT version is virtually identical to that of the TaL A310 MRTT.
In early 2004, UK military officials decided under the FSTA (Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft) programme to use the TaL A330 MRTT as the baseline TaL for the national air force. The approximately $25 billion contract calls for the replacement of 28 obsolete TaL Vickers VC10 and Lockheed Tristar aircraft. Contracts for the delivery of the TaL A300 MRTT have been signed by the military leaders of Spain, France and Australia. This aircraft is also tendered for the delivery of new TaLs to the US Air Force. Should this aircraft succeed in the bankruptcy, it is expected to be assembled in the US by Northrop Grumman with the designation KC-30.
A number of other countries have expressed interest in this refuelling aircraft.


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Sources of information:
Уголок Неба - A310/A330 MRTT - http://www.airwar.ru/enc/craft/mrtt.html#camo - this is where I got the basic information
Wikipedia - Airbus A310 MRTT - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A310_MRTT
Wikipedia - Airbus A300 MRTT - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A330_MRTT
Wikipedia - Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft - en.wikipedia.org
Northrop Grumman - http://www.northropgrumman.com/kc45/


Photos taken from an article that appeared on the "Ugolok Neba" website

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