Seems like there could be
some added tasking:-
(Reuters) - Senior British politicians and royals might consider making foreign visits in converted air force refuelling jets after a row over the use of a rented Boeing for a trade mission to tout European-made Airbus planes.
Britain's aerospace industry lobby group said proposals were being drawn up by the industry that could allow Prime Minister David Cameron and even the Queen to use modified Airbus jetliners that double as refuelling planes.
The proposals follow a British media storm after Cameron led a business delegation to Indonesia in a chartered Boeing 747 to oversee the sale of jetliners worth $2.5 billion (1.5 billion pounds) supplied by Boeing's European arch-rival Airbus.
Robin Southwell, head of the UK aerospace industry's lobbying association and also head of Airbus parent EADS in Britain, said he would propose the alternative use of the Royal Air Force jets when not needed for refuelling missions.
He compared the choice of airliner for Indonesia to a luxury car salesman turning up in a used Jaguar.
"If you are trying to sell a new Aston Martin to someone and you turn up in a used Jag and say the Aston Martin is the best thing since sliced bread and then drive off in the Jag, it isn't as smart as turning up in the model you tried to sell."
The RAF is leasing 14 Airbus-built Voyager jets which can refuel fighters or carry troops or medical evacuees in a normal cabin. When not needed they can be chartered out and the wing pods removed, leaving a normal-looking jetliner in RAF colours.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said the government always considered various civil and military options when planning travel depending on the size of the group, cost and security.
"If it meets our needs and doesn't conflict with military operations, we would of course look at it, but it is just one of the options," she said.
An EADS spokesman said the same option would be available to Britain's royal family, depending on requirements and protocol.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said it was too speculative to comment on whether the royal family would consider the plans.
Southwell said using the aircraft would not add any cost.