Hmmm
A few bits of dangerous misinformation starting to appear.
As these 5 ac are planned for contingency use on AT rather than AAR tasks
Incorrect. FSTA fleet sizing is/was always based on the pure AAR task, as in Future Strategic
Tanker Aircraft. AT was never allowed to be a driver for FSTA fleet sizing, with the exception of a number of "core" AT tasks.
Regrettably there was always an erroneous assumption that "AT can always be chartered" - Oh how we laughed and how we have been proved right!! Any assumption that 5 ac are for contingency AT shows a worrying lack of understanding of the KURs (if that's what they are still called).
Squirrel
Regrettably you are partially correct. A number of FSTA will be equipped with centreline refuelling capability - there are still a number of receivers out there that require it - C130, A400, E3, R1 and MRA4(?).
There wil be no cargo door as AT was never a driver for FSTA and of course there are very few airlines out there that want this capability on their bucket and spade jets.
FSTA will not be able to refuel in flight though and a boom was not a UK requirement (Oh apart from the E3 and now the C17 - never saw that coming did we?!?!?)
Sadly Squirrel you can't really blame the MOD on this one, PFI was directed by the government. Every one knows that PFI is more expensive for the taxpayer in the long run but it solved a short term problem for the chancellor - oh and now it looks like it will becoming back to bite the new chancellor (and his boss) in the bum.
source the airframes in the cheapest possible manner thus maximising profit
Maximising "gainshare"
surely, pr00ne