First Aircraft To Be Delivered 'Soon'
Airbus Military has obtained certification for the A330 Multi
Role Tanker Transport from Spanish military certification authority
Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Aerospacial (INTA). This paves the
way for first delivery of the aircraft to the Royal Australian Air
Force (RAAF) in the coming weeks. The A330 MRTT is now the only
certified new-generation tanker and transport being offered to the
world's air forces.
File Photo Courtesy Airbus
The military certificate was presented by INTA Director for
Testing and Certification Bartolome Marques to Airbus Military, SVP
Head of Engineering and Technology, Miguel Angel Morell on October
5 in Madrid. It covers the design and operation of all the military
systems added to the aircraft in addition to the basic civil
design, and especially the hose and drogue, as well as the all-new
Airbus Military designed Aerial Refuelling Boom System (ARBS).
This approval follows the civil Supplemental Type Certificate
(STC) for the conversion from the basic passenger A330-200 awarded
by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) earlier in the
year.
File Photo Courtesy Airbus
"I would like to thank all and everyone who has worked hard on
achieving this certification," said Airbus Military Managing
Director Domingo Urena. "This is an enormously gratifying moment
for all. It confirms the A330 MRTT has satisfactorily demonstrated
its global military airworthiness and the maturity of all its
systems, and its full readiness to enter service with its
customers. The combination of the proven A330 airframe with the
most advanced, and now certified, refuelling systems in the world,
including our ARBS, will transform the conduct of aerial refuelling
operations, while also providing full transport capability."
Airbus Military conducted more than 280 A330 MRTT flights and
nearly 170 more on an A310 demonstrator to obtain the
certification, and performed nearly 1,600 wet and dry contacts with
receiver aircraft. Additionally more than 600 contacts were made
with the A330 MRTT acting as receiver. Altogether more than one
million pounds (450 tonnes) of fuel were transferred. Aircraft to
which the A330 MRTT has now transferred fuel include F-16 and F-18
fighters, the E-3 AWACS with its large radome, and another A330
MRTT in a process known as buddy-buddy refuelling.
File Photo Courtesy Airbus
Airbus Military will deliver two MRTTs to the RAAF before the
end of the year. The aircraft, equipped with two underwing
hose-and-drogue refuelling pods and the Aerial Refuelling Boom
System (ARBS), will be operated by 33 Squadron at RAAF Amberley.
They can also carry 270 passengers in a two-class
configuration.
A total of 28 A330 MRTTs have been ordered by the Air forces of
four nations (Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and
the United Kingdom).
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