FLUG REVUE February 2004: Airbus A310 MRTT rolls out

FIRST A310 MRTT COMPLETED

By Karl Schwarz

The competition to supply the Royal Air Force with a new tanker was in full swing and, in the USA, signing of the contract to lease the Boeing KC-767 had just been put on ice following the revelations over dubious business practices. Against this background, 9 December was the ideal date to unveil Airbus's first ever tanker, the A310 Multi-Role Transport Tanker (MRTT), the first example of which will enter service with the Luftwaffe in May.

A310 MRTT roll-out

Rainer Hertrich, Co-Chairman of EADS, stressed the company's resolve to strengthen its global market position in military cargo and tanker aircraft. “The A310 MRTT is the first new generation strategic tanker aircraft in the world. It gives EADS a significant boost in the growth market for military cargo and tanker aircraft,” Hertrich said.

Some 600 tankers are currently operated around the world, many of which have been in service for decades and are crying out for replacement. “No one supplier has a monopoly of the market any more,” said Francisco Fernandez-Sainz, Chairman of EADS Casa and Head of the Military Transport Aircraft Division at EADS. “Our A310 and A330 tankers are streets ahead of the competition [i.e. from Boeing] on performance.”

Gustav Humbert, Chief Operating Officer of Airbus and member of the EADS Executive Committee, was equally aggressive in his ambitions for the group: “As in the civil area, we plan to win a market share of at least 50% with our modern types.” However, this figure is simply not feasible unless Airbus manages to sell to the Americans, as over 90% of all the large tankers are operated by the US Air Force, and the Boeing KC-135, of which there are over 500, dominates the market.

By contrast, at the time of the celebrations in Dresden, only six orders had been received for the Airbus A310 MRTT. Four aircraft are destined for the Luftwaffe's Special Transport Wing in Cologne-Wahn and the remaining two (CC-150 Polaris) for the Canadian Air Force's 437 Squadron (The Huskies), in Trenton, Ontario. The German order dates partly from December 2000 (“A” kits) and partly from the autumn of 2001 (“B” kits), the Canadian order having then been signed on 16 October 2002.

The German Ministry of Defence has invested around Euro 130 million on the introduction of this tanker capability. “Having our own tankers will save us around $16 million per year that we used to have to shell out to our allies for air refuelling services,” said Air Commodore Horst Martin, commander of the Luftwaffe's Air Operations Command, pointing out the long-term financial benefits in Dresden.

Quite apart from this, the new capability will bring the Luftwaffe greater independence and flexibility. Support for deployments to North America (Goose Bay, Holloman AFB) will be simpler, and it will also be possible to step up routine training of the forces, as fully operational crews have to be kept at the ready at all times for either the EU or the NATO rapid response forces. During a mission, tankers offer the well known advantages of extending fighter flying time and range.

The Luftwaffe's A310 MRTT's are to be equipped with two refuelling pods under the outboard wing sections. A 23 metre hose will be reeled out from each of the Mk32B-907 pods supplied by Flight Refuelling (part of the UK Cobham group), and extendable refuelling probes on Tornados and Eurofighters will then be able to couple with this.

Wind tunnel tests carried out on an A310 fitted with the pods confirmed that there were no problems as regards unwanted turbulence behind the aerofoils. Nor did the strengthening of the wing to carry the forward and aft load suspension meet with any difficulties. Flowing at a maximum rate of 1,500 litres per minute, fuel will be pumped to the pod by a new pipe running from the central tank in the centre wing section.

As a tanker, the A310 MRTT has four additional centre tanks (ACT) in the cargo bay (one of them at the front). These are built at Pfalz Flugzeugwerke in the form of a container and carry 5,700 kilograms each.

EADS CASA has contributed the operator workstation, which is replacing a pantry module behind the cockpit. This will enable a specially trained “tanker operations officer” to monitor the refuelling operation. This new role will be manned from the ranks of flight mechanics and fighter aircraft weapons systems officers (WSO).

The operator's job will be to watch the refuelling aircraft via infrared-capable cameras, both close and long-range, that are to be installed in the wing/fuselage covering. Night vision goggles-compatible lighting, including self-illumination strips, has also been installed. The cockpit has been fitted with military radio sets (VHF/UHF) and a TACAN.

All the components have been installed since the end of 2002 at Elbe Flugzeugwerke, which specialises in freighter conversions, in an A310 MRT designated 10+27 “August Euler”. After ground testing, the maiden flight in Dresden was expected to take place before Christmas. Between then and the end of April, 40 to 45 test flights are planned, of which some 15 will involve refuelling real aircraft, i.e. Tornados and Eurofighters. Canada is to carry out supplementary testing with the CF-18 after it has taken delivery of its A310's.

“On schedule” handover of 10+27 to the Luftwaffe now means May. The date has slipped due to late decisions regarding the avionics kit (TCAS, area navigation etc.). After that, the specialists in Dresden will turn to the two Canadian aircraft, whose agreed delivery dates are August 2004 and February 2005. The other three A310 MRTT's for the Luftwaffe will then be converted at six monthly intervals (allowing time for maintenance work) at Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg. Although this solution may at first sight not sound very cost-effective, it addresses the customer's requirement for a capability to have the aircraft maintained by LHT.

From the summer of 2005, the Special Transport Wing will then have four tankers at its disposal. In practice, however, it is likely that only three planes will actually be available for the air refuelling role, as one A310 MRTT will have to be on constant standby for the foreseeable future as an airborne intensive-care unit.

From page 54 of FLUG REVUE 2/2004

Last updated 10 January 2004

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