Airbus Defence & Space: Military Aircraft has highlighted that its A330 multirole tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft has significant commonalities with the Airbus A330-200 commercial airliner, on which it is based. The South African Air Force (SAAF) once operated a fleet of four Boeing 707 tankers, which were also used as transport aircraft, but these were retired without replacement some eight years ago.

It is widely held that, to effectively support the country’s policies in Africa, the SAAF needs both an air-to-air refuelling tanker and a strategic transport aircraft. “The A330 MRTT aircraft will take the South African Air Force’s long-range interventions and peacekeeping operations support to the next level,” affirmed company military affairs head Didier Vernet.

The MRTT aircraft has 80% commonality with the A330-200, the difference accounted for mainly by military-grade communications and avionics systems and some modifications to the cargo hold so that it can take North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-standard military containers. “Synergies with South African Airways’ fleet of six A330-200s open the door to reduce the cost of logistics support, maintenance activities and training, during the platform’s operational life,” he pointed out.

The MRTT aircraft can carry 111 t of fuel, plus 45 t of payload. It can take up to 300 troops over a range of 4 500 nautical miles (nm) or 130 stretchers in the casualty evacuation role. It can even be fitted to act as a VIP or VVIP transport aircraft. And it can function as a tanker, passenger transport and freighter aircraft all at the same time.

Based at the SAAF’s Air Force Base (AFB) Waterkloof, in Centurion, just south of Pretoria, an MRTT aircraft could take a 40 t payload (plus 111 t of fuel) over a distance of 4 180 nm (or 7 741 km). Or it could carry 30 t (plus fuel) over 5 100 nm (9 445 km) or 20 t (again, plus the full fuel load) over 6 020 nm (11 149 km). “At strategic level, the tanker is a critical force extender,” explained Vernet. “Tactically, the tanker is a critical force multiplier.”

To date, 52 A330 MRTT aircraft have been ordered by seven countries (Australia, France, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the UK) and the aircraft has also been selected, but not yet ordered, by three more (India, Qatar and Spain). It has also been selected by a trilateral consortium of the Netherlands, Norway and Poland. The aircraft has already seen active service in support of combat operations with at least the Australians and British.

Coincidently, during the last week of October, an A330 MRTT of the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) visited AFB Waterkloof. Known in British service as the Voyager, its visit was part of celebrations of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The aim was to commemorate the 25 South Africans who fought in the decisive battle, the first purely air strategic campaign in history. Nine of these South Africans lost their lives in the Battle.

The Voyager brought with it a detachment of the Queen’s Colour Squadron (both a ceremonial and an operational unit) of the RAF Regiment (responsible for the defence of RAF aircraft on the ground and at their bases) and the RAF Salon Orchestra to participate in the commemorations. While here, the aircraft and its crew were available for briefings about its capabilities and their front-line experiences. The aircraft was in the country for a week and left on Saturday, October 31.

Keith Campbell attended a recent Airbus Defence & Space briefing on the A330 MRTT in Madrid, Spain, as a guest of the company.