It went further back than that!
I was first tasked to provide information about potential tanker aircraft to 'MoD Future Systems' as it then was - in 1994. And they'd been looking at potential aircraft for a while earlier than that.
Of the options presented, we identified the best options as the Boeing 767-200ER and the Airbus A310-300 (with additional fuel tanks and a cargo door). At that time, the A330 wasn't under consideration.
Worst overall option as a tanker was the 'FLA' - which eventually became the A400M.
Then came PFI........
