The RAF doesn't own
any AAR assets these days. There are 14 aircraft available under the PFI solution, of which 9 are 'core' and the other 5 are available for AirTanker to lease to other users, or to operate in its own right as commercial air transport.
But there are 2 Voyager variants. The KC2 has 2 wing pods, whereas the KC3 also has a centreline hose. One Voyager is to be converted for the VIP role, the cost of which will be recovered from reduced VIP leasing requirements.
The Globemaster, Poseidon, Rivet Joint and Sentry all have UARRSI receptacles, but the RAF cannot currently refuel with this system. The Sentry is also probe equipped, as are Atlas and Hercules.
With such a mixed fleet of tanker variants and receiver AAR systems, there is no easy solution. Fitting a boom to some of the Voyagers seems obvious enough, as it would also mean improved interoperability with non-RAF UARRSI aircraft. But there would be a significant training requirement as few RAF aircrew have experience of the boom system (apart from the dreadful KC-135 BDA which I remember jousting against in a Q-fit 8 missile / 3 tank F-4, having been given neither a brief nor dual trip...
). Keeping boom operators current might also be a problem.
But it seems that the RAF simply doesn't have the budget to meet any Voyager boom acquisition need. A boom isn't something which can be quickly supplied under a UOR programme, so the provision of organic AAR for
all national assets isn't to be taken lightly.
Maybe a small number (3?) 'pre-owned' aircraft could be acquired and operated in the boom AAR role only? Perhaps - but the RAF is so small these days that manning such a fleet wouldn't be easy. Then there's the matter of AirTanker's 'exclusivity' clause.....
It's indeed a mess.