Fri, Jun 06, 2008
Will Be Converted To Tanker
Australia's Parliamentary Secretary
for Defense Procurement, Greg Combet, announced Friday the first
Airbus A330 recently arrived in Australia for conversion to a
KC-30B Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) under Project Air
5402.
"This aircraft, which is the first of four Airbus A330s to be
modified in Australia, arrived this week at the Qantas
Australian Conversion Center at Brisbane Airport after departing
the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, earlier this week," said
Combet.
An induction ceremony involving the prime contractor, EADS CASA,
and Qantas Defense Services was held to mark the occasion. Also
present were representatives of State Government, Defense Materiel
Organisation, and senior Royal Australian Air Force leadership
including the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal, Geoff Shepherd,
AO.
"Project AIR 5402 will replace the RAAF's Boeing 707 and enhance
the air-to-air refuelling capability of the Australian Defense
Force," Combet said. "Under the project, five new-generation KC-30B
MRTTs capable of refuelling current and future aircraft are to be
supplied."
Combet noted the KC-30B offers significant strategic airlift
capability -- carrying a fuel load of up to 111 tonnes, along with
270 passengers, and a combination of commercial and military cargo
pallets in its cargo hold.
As ANN has reported, in
February the KC-30B MRTT won a US Air Force competition to supply
the service with its next-generation aerial tanker. That decision
is now under review by the Government Accountability Office, after
Boeing protested awarding the bid to the renamed KC-45A.
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