Product Details

In January 2004 the UK Ministry of Defence announced that a variant of the Airbus A330 MRTT had been selected to provide tanking service for the RAF for the next 30 years under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme, replacing the RAF's existing L-1011 and VC10 tankers. Designated "Voyager" by the RAF, two MRTT variants will be operated: The K Mk2 is a two-point tanker, equipped with 1 FRL Mk32B 900E pod under each wing and the K Mk3, a three-point tanker with an additional centre line hose for larger ‘receiver' aircraft. Very few internal changes were required to modify the A330-200 for the Air-to-Air Refuelling role. In particular, no additional fuel tanks are required and, as Voyager shares the same wing as the four-engine A340, there is a pre-strengthened location available for mounting the wing Mk32B pods. This arrangement leaves the cabin free for the transport of up to 291 personnel, and the cargo hold remains available for freight on either military or civil pallets. On a typical deployment across the Atlantic, a single aircraft would be able to refuel four Tornados and still carry 11,000lb of freight/passengers.