DTN News: Airbus Military A330 MRTT Has Successfully Performed First Contacts Using A New Generation Of Under-Wing Hose And Drogue Refuelling Pods

DTN News: Airbus Military A330 MRTT Has Successfully Performed First Contacts Using A New Generation Of Under-Wing Hose And Drogue Refuelling Pods (NSI News Source Info) PARIS - June 5, 2009: The Airbus Military A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) has completed another major milestone performing successfully a series of dry contacts using the new generation Cobham 905E hose and drogue refuelling pods, located under the wings. The receiver aircraft was a Spanish Air Force F/A-18A+ fighter. The A330 MRTT has been selected by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) (5 aircraft), as well as the UK under the RAF's Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) project, to take the place of older tanker aircraft. In both cases the A330 MRTT competed against the Boeing 767 AAR derivative. The RAF will replace both the Vickers VC10 and Lockheed Tristar based tankers, while the RAAF is replacing its Boeing 707 tanker/transports. Further orders were announced in 2007 and confirmed in 2008 from the United Arab Emirates Air Force & Air Defense and Royal Saudi Air Force for three aircraft each. The Il-78 and Airbus 330 MRTT were competing for the $1 billion global tender floated in 2006 by the Indian defence ministry for six midair refuellers to extend the operating radius of Indian fighter jets. After operating Il-78 tankers for almost six years, the Indian Air Force has said the Russian platform does not meet its requirements and it wants to deploy the Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) offered by European aerospace corporation EADS. These will be fitted with three refueling hoses and no boom. The system performed well in hose extension and retraction, and showed good hose response in the contact as well as stability during pre-contact and when connected. This new refuelling pod is a development of the 907E pod already in service with the Canadian and German air forces on their A310 MRTTs. The pods can each deliver up to 420 US gal/min (1600 litres/min) through a 90 ft (27.4 m) hose, and are controlled from a state-of-the-art Fuel Operator Console located in the cockpit. "The next steps in the flight test program involve more contacts with the new hose and drogue refuelling pod and the advanced Aerial Refuelling Boom System (ARBS), refuelling a variety of receivers that will include French, Portuguese and Spanish small and large receiver aircraft. This flight test phase will lead us to the completion of military certification, and final qualification with our customer” said Miguel Morell, Vice President Airbus Military Derivative Programmes. The A330 MRTT has been selected by the air forces of Australia, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and was chosen last year by the U.S. Air Force for its recapitalization of the service’s aging tanker fleet.