FSTA Updates
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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Confirmed: Singapore Inks Six-Plane Deal With Airbus
LONDON — Singapore has finally confirmed it has signed an agreement to purchase six A330 MRTT multi-role tanker transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space. The Southeast Asian state had been expected to announce the deal at the recent Singapore Air Show but failed to do so even though the deal had reportedly been inked several weeks earlier.
The Singaporean selection was the first rebuff in the international market for Boeing’s 767-derived KC-46A tanker, which had been selected by the US Air Force in a fierce — and sometimes controversial — competition with the Airbus product.
The focus of the competition between the two aircraft makers has now switched to South Korea where a request for proposals on a deal for between four and six tankers has already been issued. India is in final negotiations for six MRTT tankers from Airbus, and France is also lined up as a customer for between 12 and 14 aircraft.
Deliveries of the Singaporean aircraft are scheduled to start in 2018.
In a statement, Boeing it was “disappointed by the decision but remains proud of our longstanding relationship with Singapore. ... We continue to see strong interest in the KC-46A from nations looking to modernize their aerial refueling capabilities.”
The aircraft will be capable of refueling drogue-refueled receivers like the Singaporean F-5s and boom-refueled receivers, including the F-15 and the F-16. It will also come fitted with a system that allows the A330 to be refueled from another tanker, be capable of ferrying 266 passengers while fulfilling its refueling role and will able to carry 37,000 kg of palletised cargo.
Singapore is the sixth customer for the MRTT following orders from Australia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the UK.
Urena Raso, the head of military aircraft at Airbus Defence, said the Singapore decision “confirms the A330 MRTT’s status as unquestionably the world’s most advanced tanker/transport as well as it’s pre-eminent suitability for the Asia-Pacific region.” ■
LONDON — Singapore has finally confirmed it has signed an agreement to purchase six A330 MRTT multi-role tanker transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space. The Southeast Asian state had been expected to announce the deal at the recent Singapore Air Show but failed to do so even though the deal had reportedly been inked several weeks earlier.
The Singaporean selection was the first rebuff in the international market for Boeing’s 767-derived KC-46A tanker, which had been selected by the US Air Force in a fierce — and sometimes controversial — competition with the Airbus product.
The focus of the competition between the two aircraft makers has now switched to South Korea where a request for proposals on a deal for between four and six tankers has already been issued. India is in final negotiations for six MRTT tankers from Airbus, and France is also lined up as a customer for between 12 and 14 aircraft.
Deliveries of the Singaporean aircraft are scheduled to start in 2018.
In a statement, Boeing it was “disappointed by the decision but remains proud of our longstanding relationship with Singapore. ... We continue to see strong interest in the KC-46A from nations looking to modernize their aerial refueling capabilities.”
The aircraft will be capable of refueling drogue-refueled receivers like the Singaporean F-5s and boom-refueled receivers, including the F-15 and the F-16. It will also come fitted with a system that allows the A330 to be refueled from another tanker, be capable of ferrying 266 passengers while fulfilling its refueling role and will able to carry 37,000 kg of palletised cargo.
Singapore is the sixth customer for the MRTT following orders from Australia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the UK.
Urena Raso, the head of military aircraft at Airbus Defence, said the Singapore decision “confirms the A330 MRTT’s status as unquestionably the world’s most advanced tanker/transport as well as it’s pre-eminent suitability for the Asia-Pacific region.” ■
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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From AW&ST (behind firewall for subscribers) - a snippet I found interesting....
European Defense Agency Advances Refueler Plans
......All A400Ms are built to be able to provide fuel using under-wing hose-drogue units (HDUs), but only 29 of Europe’s 160 or so A400Ms will be equipped with the modified rear door that allows the aircraft to employ a fuselage-mounted centerline HDU, usually used to refuel larger types.
Although not all nations are planning to buy the wing-mounted HDUs, Donnet is examining the potential of the EDA or a third-party agency owning a number of spare under-wing HDUs, possibly supported by industry, that could be leased by nations as needed.
The U.K. is not planning to use the A400M for refueling, but senior officers have stated a desire to fit HDUs to one or more of that aircraft to be deployed in the Falkland Islands in support of the four Eurofighter Typhoons based there. This would eliminate the need to deploy one of the U.K.’s Airbus A330 Voyager tankers to that site on a permanent basis.........
European Defense Agency Advances Refueler Plans
......All A400Ms are built to be able to provide fuel using under-wing hose-drogue units (HDUs), but only 29 of Europe’s 160 or so A400Ms will be equipped with the modified rear door that allows the aircraft to employ a fuselage-mounted centerline HDU, usually used to refuel larger types.
Although not all nations are planning to buy the wing-mounted HDUs, Donnet is examining the potential of the EDA or a third-party agency owning a number of spare under-wing HDUs, possibly supported by industry, that could be leased by nations as needed.
The U.K. is not planning to use the A400M for refueling, but senior officers have stated a desire to fit HDUs to one or more of that aircraft to be deployed in the Falkland Islands in support of the four Eurofighter Typhoons based there. This would eliminate the need to deploy one of the U.K.’s Airbus A330 Voyager tankers to that site on a permanent basis.........
ORAC, Laurent has several good ideas for an EDA AAR aircraft pool...
Regarding A400M,
Yes, the Atlas would certainly be ideal for the South Atlantic theatre. Even better if there were 2, both with probes, the modified rear door, palletised FRU when required, a pair of wing AAR pods and at least 1 cargo bay tank. I sincerely hope that the Atlas CBTs are generic, so that with 2 in theatre one aircraft could be re-roled to the 2 CBT fit when necessary...
But of course there's the none-too-small matter of the AirTanker exclusivity clause to consider....
Regarding A400M,
The U.K. is not planning to use the A400M for refueling, but senior officers have stated a desire to fit HDUs to one or more of that aircraft to be deployed in the Falkland Islands in support of the four Eurofighter Typhoons based there. This would eliminate the need to deploy one of the U.K.’s Airbus A330 Voyager tankers to that site on a permanent basis.........
But of course there's the none-too-small matter of the AirTanker exclusivity clause to consider....
Beagle, you are correct. However, even better would have been the continued use of a cheap tanker that we already had. How much does that FSTA cost in the Falklands? £100,000 PER DAY (more if it flies)?
OAP
OAP
The TriStar would have had limited use for any length of time - at the end of a long spares supply line and incapable of replacing the C-130.
Whereas a (properly equipped) Atlas can do all the in-theatre fixed-wing South Atlantic tasks, replacing both C-130 and Voyager. It can also use both RWs routinely (unlike the TriStar) - and fit in the Timmy hangar (unlike the Voyager). No doubt it could also be 'missionised' for coastal maritime surveillance as well.
Whereas a (properly equipped) Atlas can do all the in-theatre fixed-wing South Atlantic tasks, replacing both C-130 and Voyager. It can also use both RWs routinely (unlike the TriStar) - and fit in the Timmy hangar (unlike the Voyager). No doubt it could also be 'missionised' for coastal maritime surveillance as well.
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"Cheap tanker that we already had....", with all credit for its great service, OAP, there's nothing cheap about trying to keep flying the last surviving examples of an elderly, decades out of production airliner.
Gentlemen, I consider that the opportunity to have a cheap tanker fleet into the future was squandered years ago when the hugely expensive FSTA PFI plot was hatched. Just my opinion. However, what is wrong with a mature airframe that is well maintained and supported? What about the KC135, is that fleet a waste of money? Sorry, I do not see the point of wasting money, it has caused huge holes in key capabilities.
OAP
OAP
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KC135's not quite so bad as there are still loads on the inventory. Even then it's a thirsty bird by today's standards. But, hey Uncle Sam can always print some more money! But operating the last remaining specimens (give or take the odd satellite launcher) is a ruinously expensive hobby; most parts need to be made from scratch, often starting by making the tools or jigs, originals having been scrapped years ago.
