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2013-11-01

Airbus Military A330 MRTT

The Airbus Military A330 MRTT is based on the latest medium- to long-range, twin-aisle, twin engine commercial aircraft of the Airbus fly-by-wire family, the A330. More than 1,100 A330s have been sold to nearly 90 customers and more than 800 are operated all around the globe, ensuring easy support and many years of commercial life ahead. The A330 MRTT uniquely offers military strategic air transport as well as air-to-air refueling capabilities.

A330 MRTT aircraft has become the market leader in its category, thanks to its flight proven advantages–including superior performance, the latest technology, true multi-role flexibility, a large basic fuel capacity, permanent lower deck freight capacity, and excellent payload/range capability.

To date, a total of 28 A330 MRTTs have been ordered by four customers; Royal Australian Air Force, U.K. Royal Air Force, the Royal Saudi Air Force and the United Arab Emirates Air Force & Air Defense, with Saudi Arabia having already placed a repeat order.

Development

The first airbus Military A330 MRTT was delivered to the RAAF in June 2011, following an extensive development and test program for what is the world’s only certified and flying new generation tanker/transport aircraft.

It combines advanced avionics with Airbus’s proven fly-by-wire control system and the most up-to-date manufacturing techniques, enabling the lowest operating costs.

The A330 MRTT can directly support a fighter squadron’s deployment by carrying its operational personnel and equipment while also performing refueling escort for the squadron’s combat aircraft to an overseas base. This allows the fighter squadron to deploy as a unit, and then quickly ramp up to a combat-level sortie rate after arrival.

In addition, the A330 MRTT is perfectly suited to undertake additional missions for current and future military forces’ requirements. Its large cabin provides volume for additional mission equipment, and the onboard power system can accommodate add-on loads such as multifunction automated relay terminals (SMART).

Air Transport Capabilities

Its widebody fuselage with the optimized Airbus 222-inch cross-section enables the A330 MRTT to carry any kind of military or humanitarian payload on strategic missions. With an attractively modern design, the cabin is conceived to ensure optimum seating configurations in every class, maximizing both capacity and comfort. These features enable a complete range of configurations, from pure troop transport to the complex customization required for VIP guests. For example, it can accommodate 253 seats in a three-class configuration, through to 270 passengers in two classes, or some 300 in a single class layout.

The A330 MRTT is also designed to carry a payload of up to 45 tonnes/99,000 lb. Thanks to its optimized fuselage cross section, the cargo can conveniently be carried under-floor in any of the standard containers and pallets, ranging from the LD1 to LD3 and LD6, as well as the standard 88x108 inch 463-L NATO military pallets, which can be loaded onto the aircraft through a proven semi-automatic cargo loading system. Some of the cargo can also be carried as non-palletized “bulk”.

The main deck cargo compartment can also be used for cargo, as required, when the aircraft is specified as a freighter. In this instance the main deck is fitted with a large upper deck cargo door and cargo loading devices in the main deck floor. This allows the A330 MRTT to carry up to 26 88x108 inch 463-L NATO military pallets. Furthermore, the aircraft can also be configured as a combi, to carry freight in the forward part of the main deck and passengers in the aft part.

Medical and Casualty Evacuation

The A330 MRTT is also an outstanding strategic medical and casualty evacuation (MEDEVAC and CASEVAC) aircraft with a widebody cabin capable of carrying, from prepared airfields, up to 130 stretchers over intercontinental distances in comfort. In a ‘light medevac’ configuration, medical beds can be installed above designated fold-down seats. This allows the aircraft to be used as a troop transport on an outbound relief mission, with medical beds stowed in the lower cargo compartments, and then rapidly converted for medevac on the return. In an ‘intensive medevac’ configuration, critical care modules can be installed to replicate an intensive care unit in the air. The aircraft could typically carry 28 NATO stretchers, up to six critical care modules, 20 seats for medical staff, and 100 passenger seats. As no additional fuel tanks are needed, the A330 MRTT maintains the lower deck forward, aft and bulk cargo hold payload capacity, unaffected by any air-to-air refueling equipment.

Air-to-air refueling

The A330-200 wing is large enough to hold all the fuel needed (111 tonnes/245,000 lb) to make the A330 MRTT a high performing tanker able to refuel any kind of receiver, without requiring any additional fuel tanks and so avoiding any reduction in its ability to carry passengers or cargo. To refuel receptacle-equipped aircraft such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-35A Lightning II, or even the A330 MRTT itself (when fitted with an UARRSI), the A330 MRTT is provided with the advanced Airbus Military Aerial Refueling Boom System (ARBS), the only new generation and fully operational boom which allows the fastest fuel transfer.

To refuel probe-equipped receivers such as Eurofighter or Tornado, the A330 MRTT is fitted with two Cobham 905E under-wing hose and drogue pods.

Large probe-equipped aircraft such as the A400M or C295, can be refuelled via the Cobham 805E Fuselage Refueling Unit (FRU).

Those Air to Air Refueling (AAR) systems are controlled from an advanced Fuel Operator Console that is positioned in the cockpit and features an Enhanced Video monitoring System to perform day and night refueling.

The A330 MRTT can also be used on towline mission, whereby it can be on station at about 1,000 nm/1,600km from its base for some four hours 30 minutes, with the capability to provide 50 tonnes/110,000 lb of fuel for needing receivers. Or it can provide 60 tonnes / 132,000 lb of fuel while remaining on station for five hours at 500 nm/930 km from base. It enables, for examples, four Eurofighters to fly 3,600 nm/6,700 km by refueling them en-route, or, when carrying 20 tonnes/44,100 lb of payload, to deploy four fighters a distance of 2,800 nm/5,200km. This exceeds by far what any other current tanker can offer. It is therefore an unmatchable force multiplier, enhancing significantly the range or endurance of any fighter.

Military Systems

The A330 MRTT also benefits from the most up-to-date design and manufacturing techniques, and integrates the most advanced avionics as well as the proven fly-by-wire control systems which allow total flight envelope protection featured by the basic A330-200. This means higher reliability as well as lower crew workload, and enabling concentration on mission execution.

The A330 MRTT is offered with a customized suite of military avionics and a mission system integrated with civil avionics. A comprehensive survivability package including a Defensive Aid System (DAS), fuel tank system and an armored cockpit are all available.

Representing the state-of-the-art in its category, the A330-200 has a range of up to 8,000 nm/14,800 km, with a maximum speed of Mach 0.86. It is the primary choice as a platform for a Multi Role Tanker Transport, offering the best performance at the lowest investment and costs. It provides the best value for money, with potential for long-term growth as confirmed by its continuing successes in the market.

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