DCThumb wrote:
C17 successful? Leasing them for 5 years was cheaper over 5 years than buying....
I don't know the end figures but we have ended up paying for those aircraft several times before we eventually purchased as I recall!
But you need to remember the bigger picture:
The Future Large Aircraft (FLA) was originally supposed to replace all the RAF’s large a/c. That proved unfeasible, so the tanker/transport requirement became Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) and another fight arose between A400M and C130J as the Future Transport Aircraft (FTA). FSTA then became a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project; the preferred platform became the A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) rather than the B767 offered by the rival TTSC. Meanwhile, A400M which had been the FLA was given the go-ahead to be the FTA; however, to fill the gap, a Short Term Strategic Airlifter, STSA, was needed and that became a fight between the An124 and the C-17. The RAF decided upon leased C-17s as STSA to fill the gap before FTA became reality; however, the C-17s were later bought and the STSA became another FTA, but not the sole FTA as that will still be the A400M. Which, of course had once been FLA and rejected as FSTA. Nevertheless, the Common Standard Aircraft (CSA) A400M does have a requirement to have an AAR role, but not as a strategic tanker as that will be the job of the FSTA, the A330MRTT 'Voyager' – which also has immense AT capability as well as its AAR capability but is seemingly not considered to be a FTA even though it would be.... Although there is, of course, the A310 MRTT in service with other countries but not offered by any of the FSTA bidders even though it had been studied under an earlier project by MoD Department of Future Systems (DFS) as it then was, when a Multi Role Tanker Transport rather than a Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft was being considered.
So:
C-17 which was the STSA but wasn't an FSTA is now an FTA.
A400M which was FLA, then rejected as FSTA has also, as 'Atlas' become an FTA.
A330 MRTT 'Voyager' is the FSTA under PFI but is not an FTA.
Clear enough?