Originally Posted by Flight Safety
First, the "frankentanker" argument is pure garbage. Doesn't the A330MRTT use the A340 wing?
No. It uses the A330/340 wing. There is no A330-specific wing for non-MRTT aircraft. In fact some might say non-MRTT aircraft are underoptimised.
The only thing common with the A330/A340 wing is the shape and size. They are two different wings in content. The A330 wing does not have the strength and plumbing required for the outer engines - why would it? For MRTT / FSTA, the A330 wing needs significant strengthening around the rib 26 area to enable it to carry pods.