Airbus A330 MRTT
| Airbus A330 MRTT | |
|---|---|
 United Arab Emirates Airbus A330 MRTT taking off from Manchester |
|
| Type: | Twin-engine transport and tanker aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
June 15, 2007 |
| Commissioning: |
June 1, 2011 (Royal Australian Air Force) |
| Production time: |
2007– |
| Number of pieces: |
42 (as of April 2020) |
The Airbus A330 MRTT ( M ulti- R ole T anker T ransport ), also known as KC-30A (Australia), Voyager KC2 / KC3 (United Kingdom) and Phénix (France), is a military version of the civilian model A330- 200 from the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus . It has so far been ordered by seven countries and NATO as a transport aircraft and for air refueling and is currently used by four air forces. As KC-45 he took part in the competition for the new tanker aircraft of the US Air Force , where he was defeated by the Boeing KC-46 .
history
development
Airbus developed a military version of the successful A330 series based on the 200 version in the early / mid-2000s. The first customers were the Australian and British Air Forces, which - like the British Royal Air Force - wanted to use the new aircraft to renew their existing fleets or, in the case of the Royal Australian Air Force , to build up refueling capacities .
The development was carried out by Airbus Military in Seville , where the first flight took place on June 15, 2007 . Newly built Airbus aircraft are sometimes used for the MRTT aircraft, but airlines such as Iberia and Qantas also act as contractors for the installation of the systems .
Further development
Airbus is carrying out a first further development of the original design at the request of the French Air Force. The machines are to get an additional loading door at the side and improvements in avionics , e.g. B. satellite communication obtained. In addition, a mode is being tested in which air refueling is automatically controlled by a computer and the previous boom operator becomes obsolete, as cameras from several sides observe the approach of the aircraft to be refueled and give the computer appropriate instructions. Airbus planned the first automatic contact in a test for the end of 2016.
In a further step, the aircraft will be further developed together with the first customer Australia. In addition to the automatic boom , communication systems are to be scaffolded so that the aircraft can function as a flying command center in a networked system.
Range of tasks
In-flight refueling
.JPG)
In the case of aerial refueling missions, 111 tons of fuel can be dispensed from the internal tanks, compared to the A310 MRTT , for example , it is not necessary to equip tanks in the hold. The A330 MRTT can be equipped with both drip funnels and a tank boom, depending on which aircraft are to be refueled. When using the drogue funnels, these are extended from two Cobham 905E hose containers, which are located at the outer wing positions; With this technology, 1590 liters of fuel per minute can be dispensed per funnel. With this possibility z. B. the Eurofighter Typhoon or the Panavia Tornado can be refueled.
Airbus Military newly developed the tank boom known as the Air Refueling Boom System (ARBS), which can be extended to a maximum length of 17 meters and delivers up to 4540 liters per minute. The machines equipped with this system also have a workstation in the rear for the boom operator responsible for operation . The General Dynamics F-16 , Boeing E-3 or Rockwell B-1 , among others , have the openings in the fuselage for refueling with the ARBS.
If the ARBS is not installed, the aircraft can carry a third Cobham 905E hose container; so far, Australia and the United Arab Emirates have chosen the ARBS option.
Personnel / material transport
When transporting people or materials, 300 soldiers with equipment, 380 passengers or loads of 45 tons or a combination can be transported.
User states
In June 2016, a total of 27 machines of the type were in use, which together flew a total of 85,000 hours of flight time.
| Air Force | Ordered | Delivered |
|---|---|---|
 Royal Australian Air Force
|
7th | 7th |
 French Air Force
|
12 | 2 |
 Multinational MRTT Unit
|
8th | 1 |
 Royal Saudi Air Force
|
6th | 6th |
 Republic of Singapore Air Force
|
6th | 6th |
 South Korean Air Force
|
4th | 4th |
 United Arab Emirates Air Force
|
3 | 3 |
 Royal Air Force
|
14th | 14th |
| total | 60 | 42 |
Australia
The five RAAF machines initially ordered are named KC-30A . Since 2013, they have been approved for refueling other aircraft using the funnel, and flight testing of the Air Refueling Boom System began in 2015 so that they can also be refueled using them in the future. In addition to a KC-30, a Boeing E-7A Wedgetail early warning aircraft was used. At the end of June 2015, Australia ordered two more KC-30s, this time as retrofits of used Qantas airliners, which are to be delivered in 2018. The white paper published in February 2016 envisages a long-term fleet target of 9 aircraft. The machines are equipped with General Electric CF-6 engines.
The KC-30A are based at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland and are operated by the 33rd Squadron . In addition to the refueling of combat aircraft, the RAAF is running a program in 2016 to test and carry out the refueling of the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft .
France
France plans to purchase 15 machines, which have been delivered since 2018 and will replace the outdated KC-135 . 12 copies are to be delivered by 2023.
The Army de l'Air plans to station its Phénix , the name of the French tankers, on the bases of Istres-Le Tubé and Avord .
The commissioning of the flying group Groupe de ravitaillement en vol 2/91 (GRV 2/91) "Bretagne" of the 31st Squadron, 31e escadre aérienne de ravitaillement et de transport stratégiques (31e ERTS) in Istres took place in October 2018.
NATO
The European member states Belgium , Germany , Luxembourg , the Netherlands , Norway and the Czech Republic are participating in the Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) of NATO . They will form a joint pool of eight KC-30Ms , the military designation of the A330 MRTT that carries the Dutch national emblem. As a donor, you receive the rights to use machines owned by NATO.
The Netherlands initially planned to purchase A330 MRTTs to replace the two outdated KDC-10s . From this, the plan for the establishment of a European tanker aircraft association and the procurement via the OCCAR of initially four A330 MRTTs within the framework of NATO developed over time on the initiative of the European Defense Agency . At the end of 2015 it became known that the German Air Force would join the initiative and purchase three A330 MRTTs to replace their four A310 MRTTs.
In July 2016, a first contract for the installation of such a fleet was signed between the Netherlands and Luxembourg , which has a volume of 250 million to 1 billion euros, depending on which other partners join, an increase in the contract for five more units plus four Options for Germany and Norway took place in September 2017. The first seven copies are to be delivered in 2020/2022. The fifth program partner became Belgium on February 14, 2018, which plans to finance an eighth copy with delivery in 2025. The Czech Republic followed in October 2019 as the sixth cooperation partner. However, no further option was converted into an order, which means that eight machines have been ordered for the time being and are to be delivered between 2020 and 2023. The first tanker arrived at the end of June 2020 at the Multinational MRTT Unit (MMU) set up especially for this purpose in mid-2019 .
Saudi Arabia
In 2008, Saudi Arabia signed a contract for three machines with two Cobham underwing pods and the ARBS and General Electric CF-6 engines. The last aircraft was delivered in August 2013. Three more were ordered.
They are operated by the 24th Squadron at Riyadh Air Base.
Singapore
Singapore ordered six machines in February 2014 after the A330 prevailed over the Boeing KC-46 in a tender . The contract was signed on February 7, 2014, and the machines equipped with Trent 772 have been delivered since August 2018.
The user is the 112th Squadron , which is stationed on the military section of Changi Airport.
South Korea
South Korea announced at the end of June 2015 that it would purchase four A330 MRTTs for delivery from 2019; the contract is worth $ 1.26 billion. The tankers powered by Trent engines are equipped with the ARBS, among other things. The first KC-330 Cygnus , as it is known locally, arrived at its future base at Gimhae Airport in Busan in November 2018 .
The operator is the 5th squadron.
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates signed a contract in February 2008 to procure three A330 MRTTs. The machines are equipped with both the Cobham pods and the ARBS and use Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines. The first machine was delivered on February 6, 2013, the last on August 6, 2013.
United Kingdom
In order to replace their outdated Lockheed L-1011 and Vickers VC10 as tanker aircraft, the British Ministry of Defense launched the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft program, in which the A330 MRTT was awarded the contract in early 2004. It was also determined that the aircraft should not be operated directly by the Royal Air Force, but by a civilian contractor, with the AirTanker consortium and the Airbus aircraft being awarded the contract. On March 27, a corresponding leasing contract was signed between the Department of Defense and AirTanker to lease 14 MRTTs. The British tankers are named Voyager in the versions Voyager KC.2 (with a Cobham 905 pod under each wing) and Voyager KC.3 (with an additional Cobham pod in the stern on the fuselage). They are equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 772B-60 engines.
At the end of 2014, the nine machines that are used exclusively for the RAF were in operation, while the reserve of the remaining five machines, according to the contract, can be used by AirTanker itself, i.e. also used for other clients. Unrestricted operational readiness was achieved at the end of September 2016.
The Voyager are used by the 10th (since late 2011) and 101st Squadron (since October 2013) and are based in RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire .
interested persons
India
The Indian Air Force tendered an order for the modernization of the tanker fleet back in 2006, in which the Ilyushin Il-78 took part in addition to the A330 MRTT . In May 2009 India decided in favor of the Airbus, but did not sign a contract and initially abandoned the procurement project in January 2010 - probably against the opposition of the Air Force; In 2012, a new process was started, which in turn won the A330. This procurement project was canceled again in July 2016.
Qatar
Airbus announced on March 27, 2014 that the Qatar Emiri Air Force intends to purchase two machines.
Spain
Spain is in negotiations with Airbus about what are believed to be three A330s, also as a compensation business for the A400M fleet, for which Spain has no need for the entire number of 27 aircraft ordered, it is only planning to operate 14.
Former
Both in Brazil and the United States , the A330 MRTT participated in the tender for a new tanker aircraft part, but lost in Brazil, the Boeing 767 made by IAI reequipped to be, and in the United States the Boeing KC-46 . Although Airbus initially won the case there, the government signed a contract with Boeing in 2011 after the case had previously been canceled.
Technical specifications
_Airbus_KC-30A_(A330-203MRTT)_on_display_at_the_2013_Avalon_Airshow.jpg)
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| length | 58.80 m |
| span | 60.30 m |
| height | 17.4 m |
| Hull diameter | 5.64 m |
| Wing area | 362 m² |
| Wing extension | 10.0 |
| payload | 300 soldiers with equipment, 380 passengers or 45 t load |
| Max. Fuel capacity | 139,090 l / 109,185 kg |
| Empty mass | 120 t |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 233 t |
| Max. Landing mass | 182 t |
| Cruising speed | Mach 0.82 (870 km / h) |
| Top speed | Mach 0.86 (912 km / h) |
| Max. Altitude: | 12,500 m (41,000 ft) |
| Range | ~ 13,400 km |
| Engines | 2 × General Electric CF6 , each 320 kN / Rolls-Royce Trent , each 316 kN |
Incidents
- On January 19, 2011, an air refueling incident occurred between an A330 MRTT and an F-16 of the Portuguese Air Force over the Atlantic Ocean . A part of the boom broke off near the intake of the F-16, which caused the part of the boom remaining on the A330 to vibrate, so that it finally broke off at the joint that connects it to the fuselage and fell into the Atlantic. Nobody was injured. The aircraft was an aircraft for the Australian Air Force that was on a test flight with Airbus personnel.
- On September 10, 2012, an A330 MRTT lost its tank boom, which broke at the joint to the fuselage and fell to the ground from a height of 8,230 meters; the plane landed safely in Getafe, Spain . The cause of the accident was determined to be a conflict between the regular retraction mechanism of the boom and the backup system. Airbus also emphasized that the malfunction was favored by the tests carried out and could not occur due to a change in the regulations in flight operations of the air force. The machine involved in the incident was intended for the UAE.
- On February 9, 2014, a Royal Air Force Voyager at an altitude of 33,000 feet above the Black Sea went into a sudden uncontrolled descent when the pilot, who was alone in the cockpit, moved his seat forward and an unauthorized camera attached to the armrest pushed the sidestick forward. The automatic monitoring of flight parameters (Flight Envelope Protection) limited the speed, initiated the interception and thus prevented major damage to the aircraft. The crew of the machine, which was en route from Brize Norton to Afghanistan as part of ISAF , decided to declare the emergency and land at Incirlik Air Base , suggesting closer landing options. 25 passengers and crew members were temporarily disabled as a result of the incident.
Web links
- Airbus A330 MRTT on the Airbus website
- Information on the Cobham Refueling Pods on the Cobham plc website
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Orders, Deliveries, In Operation Military aircraft by Country - Worldwide. (PDF) Airbus , April 30, 2020, accessed June 8, 2020 .
- ↑ Hauke Friedrichs: Berlin looks the other way. In: zeit.de. Zeit Online, July 1, 2015, accessed on July 1, 2015 : “Air-to-air refueling, 111 tons of fuel on board, transport space for 300 armed soldiers or 45 tons of cargo, it can also be used as a flying hospital: That Airbus A330 multi-purpose tanker and transport aircraft (MRTT) fulfills several wishes of the military. This aircraft belongs to the latest generation, has been tried and tested in combat, the company advertises. "This is the most successful tanker on the market," says an Airbus spokesman. "
- ↑ Iberia to convert more A330 tankers. In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd , May 19, 2014, accessed on July 1, 2015 : "Iberia has received a new contract from Airbus Defense & Space for the conversion of three A330s to the multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) configuration. "
- ↑ Airbus to test automatic boom mode for A330 MRTT. June 30, 2016, accessed June 30, 2016 .
- ↑ Avalon 2017: RAAF and Airbus to develop automated refueling boom for KC-30A. (No longer available online.) Jane's on March 2, 2017, archived from the original on March 2, 2017 ; accessed on March 2, 2017 .
- ↑ https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-to-enhance-a330-tanker-offering-426581/
- ^ Greg Waldron: RAAF KC-30A uses boom to refuel Wedgetail. In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd , June 17, 2015, accessed on July 1, 2015 : “The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has conducted trial refuelings using the boom of a Airbus Military KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT ). The work took place off the cost of New South Wales during the first two weeks of June, says Australia's ministry in a statement. It involved refueling an RAAF Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning & control (AEW & C) aircraft. "
- ^ Greg Waldron: RAAF orders two additional KC-30A tankers. In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd , June 30, 2015, accessed on July 1, 2015 : “The Royal Australian Air Force will obtain an additional pair of Airbus Defense and Space KC-30A multi-role tanker transports (MRTT). The two additional aircraft, which are based on the Airbus A330-200 airliner, will bring Australia's fleet of the type to seven aircraft when they are delivered in 2018, says Australian defense minister Kevin Andrews in a statement. "
- ↑ Greg Waldron: Qantas to return two CIT A330s by end-2015 for MRTT conversion. In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd datum = 2015-07-07, accessed on July 8, 2015 (English): "Qantas Airways will return two Airbus A330-200 aircraft to CIT Aerospace by the end of the year, pending their conversion to multi-role tanker transports (MRTT) for the Royal Australian Air Force. "
- ^ White Paper 2016, Australian Department of Defense, February 2016
- ↑ James Drew: RAAF KC-30 to begin P-8A refueling trials in early 2017. In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd , March 7, 2016, accessed on March 8, 2016 (English): "The Royal Australian Air Force is preparing to add the Boeing P-8A Poseidon to the growing list of aircraft that can be refueled by its Airbus KC -30A multirole tanker type. "
- ↑ France accelerates MRTT deliveries. , Janes, September 24, 2018.
- ↑ Craig Hoyle: France confirms A330 tanker selection. In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd , November 20, 2014, accessed on July 1, 2015 : "Paris has confirmed its selection of the Airbus A330 multirole tanker transport (MRTT), with 12 of the type to replace its Boeing C / KC- 135s from late this decade. Announced on 20 November, the development will lead to the French air force receiving a first A330 MRTT in 2018 and a second in 2019, says Airbus Defense & Space. The remaining examples will follow "at a rate of one or two per year", it adds. "
- ↑ Guillaume Tax: La base d'Istres se prépare à l'A330 MRTT. In: air-cosmos.com. Air & Cosmos, July 1, 2015, accessed on July 1, 2015 (French): “Les travaux d'aménagement de la base aérienne 125 d'Istres pour accueillir les futurs avions-ravitailleurs A330 MRTT de l'armée de l'Air devraient commencer in September 2014, pour une fin prévisionnelle des travaux in May 2018, selon un appel d'offres publié récemment par le ministère de la Défense. Le coût total de ces travaux d'infrastructure est aujourd'hui estimé à 123.8 millions d'euros, selon ce même document. "
- ↑ Seven Airbus A330 MRTT tankers for NATO. In: Bundeswehr Journal. September 25, 2017, accessed March 7, 2018 .
- ^ Greg Waldron: Germany to join multinational tanker effort In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd , May 26, 2015, accessed June 3, 2016
- ↑ Craig Hoyle: Netherlands, Luxembourg agree joint A330 MRTT buy. In: Flightglobal. July 28, 2016, accessed July 30, 2016 .
- ↑ Craig Hoyle: Germany, Norway sign for five A330 tankers. In: Flightglobal. September 26, 2017, accessed September 26, 2017 .
- ↑ Belgium joins Allied effort to deliver air-to-air refueling capacity. In: www.nato.int. February 14, 2018, accessed February 14, 2018 .
- ↑ Factsheet - Multi Role Tanker Transport Capability (MRTT-C). In: www.nato.int. October 31, 2019, accessed December 7, 2019 .
- ↑ Multinational MRTT Unit established, Janes, July 16, 2019
- ^ Greg Waldron: Singapore confirms A330 MRTT buy. In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd , March 7, 2014, accessed on July 1, 2015 (English): “Singapore will obtain the Airbus Defense & Space A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT), its defense ministry has confirmed. The posting did not determine how many examples the Republic of Singapore Air Force will obtain, but Airbus has previously confirmed tabling a proposal for six of the type. "
- ↑ Singapore confirms delivery of first Airbus A330 MRTT, Janes, August 20, 2018
- ↑ James Drew: Airbus beats Boeing in South Korean tanker competition. In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd , June 30, 2015, accessed on June 30, 2015 : "According to local reports, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced the selection decision on Tuesday 30 June, citing the performance and price of the European tanker over the US and Israeli alternatives. The $ 1.26 billion KC-X program aims to deliver four tankers by 2019, and the selection of Airbus is an important victory for the company as it looks to an upcoming Japanese tanker competition. "
- ^ George Allison: First South Korean A330 MRTT lands in country for acceptance tests. In: UK Defense Journal. November 14, 2018, Retrieved April 22, 2019 (UK English).
- ↑ AirTanker declares full operating capability for Voyager fleet, Janes, October 5, 2016 ( Memento of October 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Indian defense ministry scraps MRTT tender for second time, Janes, July 26, 2016
- ↑ Stephen Trimble: Qatar air force selects Airbus to supply A330 MRTTs. In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd , March 27, 2014, accessed on July 1, 2015 : “The Qatar Emiri Air Force has selected Airbus Defense & Space to supply two A330 multi-role tanker transports (MRTT), potentially adding a seventh customer for the type. "
- ↑ http://www.infodefensa.com/es/2018/04/02/noticia-ejercito-apuesta-compra.html El Ejercito del Aire apuesta por la compra de tres A330 MRTT, Infodefensa, April 2, 2018
- ↑ A330 MRTT - The Benchmark. (PDF; 1.7 MB) In: militaryaircraft-airbusds.com. Airbus SE, 2014, accessed on July 1, 2015 .
- ↑ Craig Hoyle: Airbus A330 tanker damaged in refueling mishap. In: flightglobal.com. Reed Business Information Ltd , January 20, 2011, accessed on July 1, 2015 : “Airbus Military has launched an investigation into an in-flight refueling mishap that damaged one of the Royal Australian Air Force's delayed A330 multi-role tanker transports (MRTT). The aircraft was being operated by Airbus Military personnel from the company's Getafe site near Madrid, Spain when the incident happened at around 17:00 local time on 19 January. Also involved was a Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter from the Portuguese air force. "
- ↑ Aircraft accident data and report in the Aviation Safety Network (English)
- ↑ Craig Hoyle: A330 flight control laws saved Voyager, inquiry finds. In: Flightglobal. March 24, 2015, accessed February 11, 2017 .