So the trick would be to obtain a figure from EADS (preferably through EFW Dresden, not Getafe) for the cost of converting 4 x A310MRTT to include a boom kit, then ask AirTanker how they would meet the requirement using Voyager?

P-3, E-7 and RJ all have intercontinental range. Spending billions on a tanker facility that might possibly be used once in a blue moon hardly seems sensible when there are more immediate needs.

BEagle,
To which Air Tanker would politely reply that it isn't in the requirement, the requirement that YOU wrote, YOU specified, nor is it in the contract that YOU wrote and YOU presented to us to sign after a commercial competition. (just for the sake of clarity here YOU refers to the MoD, NOT BEagle!)

Clearly you mean the Poseidon MRA1 rather than P-3 however, your comments merely show how ignorant you are of the operations conducted by the platforms mentioned. Have you even the remotest knowledge of how much tanking RJ and the E3 have conducted over the last many years?

THE RAAF in-flight refuels our E-7's, C-17's and P-8's [plus our F-35's/F/A-18's/EA-18's and most USAF/USN/ aircraft] with our KC-30A's both boom and drogue equipped.

pr00ne, fine - since boom AAR is outside the contract the MoD has with AirTanker, then a new contract to provide boom AAR should be put out to tender.

Or preferably, should be entirely in-house and well away from the ridiculously £1M+ per day absurdity of a PFI.

BEagle,

All well and good, with the small exception of the 'exclusion provision of AAR to the RAF' clause being in the contract, as specified, required and written by the MoD. As to that £1m per day absurdity, just how much do you think provision of 14 aircraft, training, maintenance and servicing, upgrades, a new hangar and squadron accommodation, simulator and airworthiness provision would have actually cost the MoD? It would have been a fortune and simply was not available at the time as up front money.

I realise that we’ve drifted towards AAR (are there any threads that don’t drift?) but how long has the Airtanker PFI got left to run? Curiosity, nothing else.

I think the contract was for 27 years, signed in 2008(?) and it started providing services in 2013(?), so 2040 ish depending on when the contract commenced?

-RP

Well, pr00ne, the MoD seemed to have found the money for the same shopping list for the 22 x A400M at Brize.......

As it's physically impossible for the current Voyager to conduct boom AAR, notwithstanding the contract clause what would be your solution to provide P-7, P-8A, Rivet Joint, C-17 and potentially F-35A with AAR support?

Not P-8, but still maritime patrol of a sort, an A400M looking for dinghys this morning.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3056bb22b8.jpg

Apparently it's an RAF Atlas 'Surveillence' aircraft......I take it that its surveillance capability consists of the Mk1 eyeball and weather radar? I spent many happy hours flying around the FIFPZ in the C130K undertaking maritime reconnaissance with a dodgy E290 and occasionally a working Orange Crop.

RAF P-8A #3 & #4 on the production line now:

The ideal scenario for RJ is to tank on every single mission sortie. I'm not sure whether that constitutes a blue moon though.

A lot of fire power for a patrol boat.
Based at Kinloss Barracks?
Aren't 120 Based at Lossiemouth?
Or have they moved back to RAF Kinloss full time?
GG

Lossie's runway is being re-laid so the P8's and some Typhoons are operating from ISK. The Q is tempo Leuchars.

I note that the fifth Poseidon is to be named Fulmar after the RNAS name for Lossie. So far we've had Pride of Moray, City of Elgin and Terence Bulloch DSO* DFC*. The first two are a bit meh, I heartily agree with the third and now... Fulmar. Really?

Have they run out of ideas, or are they just coming up with random thoughts. It looks like the first musings at a brainstorming session. At least the VC10s all had the names of RAF Victoria Cross awardees. This is just silly.

If they wanted maritime stations, why not Kinloss, St. Mawgan, St. Eval, Ballykelly, Mount Batten, Pembroke Dock, Calshot, Banff and Wick?

St Nicola of Sturgeon?

Surely when 1 Squadron RNAS 201 Squadron RAF reforms it should have an aircraft named after Sub-Lt R A J Warneford VC in the spirit of jointery that led to Fulmar. Mind you his record on indiscipline might count aganst him.

Martin, a bit meh?! How rude. Pride of Moray is an excellent name, IMHO, of course.