Page 34 - AirForces Monthly - Issue 381 (December 2019)

Intel
Report

Above: On December 13 last year the DGA placed an order with Airbus for a further three A330 MRTTs. These constitute

the third and final tranche of the multi-year contract for 12 examples signed by the French defence ministry in 2014. The

first Phénix was formally handed over in October 2018 and the remainder will be delivered by the end of 2023. Airbus
Shortly after delivery of the first Airbus AAR solutions only two have been delivered announced it had successfully
KC-130J, Colonel Stanislas Michel, In recent years, Airbus has so far; the MMF has purchased completed certification flight tests
commander of BA 123, said: created a niche in the air-to-air eight, with the first expected to for the A400M Cargo Hold Tanks
“This new KC-130J capability is refuelling world, and central to that be handed over next May 2; while (CHT) refuelling unit. It is another
important, especially for tactical air success has been its development the RAF/Air Tanker has 14. step towards full certification of
force missions with the Caracal. We and manufacture of the Aerial As of October, 31 aircraft had been the aircraft for tanker operations.
want to be able to implement this Refuelling Boom System (ARBS). cleared to refuel from the A330 A roll-on/roll-off hose drum unit,
capacity in three months; that’s the In service since 2011, when Royal MRTT, according to Airbus. Among the CHT can be installed inside the
priority and it will be a real asset Australian Air Force KC-30As these platforms are the Typhoon, cargo hold to extend a hose from
for search and rescue missions.” were the first to be fitted, it’s now Rafale, A400M, A330 MRTT, F-15, the fuselage to allow refuelling of
The Hercules crews will complete a mature and proven system that F-16, F/A-18, F-22, F-35, Su-27, Su-30, larger aircraft such as the A400M or
a two-week simulator training has evolved throughout the years E-3 AWACS and B-52. As an Airbus C295. Airbus did not disclose which
course in Italy and the aircraft will be until reaching the required level of spokesman told AFM: “This is one of air forces want AAR systems for the
evaluated before it is made available. reliability. The boom is assembled the great advantages compared to A400Ms, or how many are currently
“The real evolution is extending the during the conversion process, its major competitor, which only has on order. The test campaign,
helicopter range,” said Michel, “when being added in the installation and five US receivers cleared as of the performed together with the
operational, it means the helicopter equipment conversion station. end of August 2019, none of them Centro Logístico de Armamento
can perform four to five-hour The A330 MRTT can perform with the underwing pod system.” y Experimentación (CLAEX, the
missions compared with an hour- different missions simultaneously: The underwing Cobham Mk32 Spanish Air Force test centre),
and-a-half now.” Two crews from refuelling; transporting troops, AAR pods for the A400M are featured a total of nine flights
ET 2/61 have already been trained, cargo and VIPs; and aeromedical also used on the A330 MRTT. during which 90 tonnes of fuel
a third is currently in training and a evacuation. It is tailored to the Since its entry into service with were dispensed to EF-18 receivers
fourth will follow. “The goal is that customer’s operational needs the RAAF in June 2011, the A330 and to another A400M prototype
our seven crews are qualified fairly and in the AAR role can be fitted MRTT had accumulated more than serving as a representative heavy
quickly,” the commander continued. with two underwing pods, one 200,000 flying hours in service aircraft receiver. The test campaign
As part of Franco-German ARBS, and a Universal Aerial by early October this year. included development and
co-operation on the C-130J, a Refueling Receptacle Slipway Airbus is also developing AAR certification of the CHT with the
bi-national training centre will be Installation (UARRSI) which allows systems for its A400M airlifters. latest fuel quantity management
operational by 2021. France and it to receive fuel in flight. All the While the Atlas can already refuel system software – to be certified by
Germany signed a deal in October MRTT customers have selected fighters and transports, it’s not the end of this year – enhancement
2016 to base a C-130J unit at BA 105 the standard pod and boom been so easy with helicopters of the night refuelling vision
Évreux-Fauville. After the German configuration except the Royal because of the wake from the system and preliminary testing
government announced planned Air Force, which doesn’t have the A400M’s propellers. Last year, hose of helicopter AAR capabilities.
acquisition of the aircraft in April boom. So far, 60 A330 MRTTs have extension tests demonstrated the Proximity trials continued this year
2017, the US cleared the way in May been ordered and 34 are either design was stable when extended and, in September, dry contacts
for the Luftwaffe to acquire three serving or have been ordered by in flight within the intended demonstrated that the solution
C-130Js and three KC-130Js under a European customers. The French envelope for AAR operations. is stable and now suitable for
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) deal. Air Force has ordered 12, although Last February 21, Airbus helicopter AAR, paving the way
for the system’s certification. Dry
contacts have been completed
with the H225 Caracal, while
the H160 has been tested in
proximity to the A400M. An Airbus
spokesman told AFM: “Standard
procedures are that the operators
will qualify/clear the specific
A400M plus helicopter pairing. This
is exactly the same as for fixed-
wing receivers, for which every
operator has qualified the specific
combination of tanker and receiver.”
Over the past two years, the
French Air Force has qualified the
An RAAF F/A-18F and Italian Air Force KC-767A A400M with the Rafale, while Spain
transit to the battlespace over Iraq as part of the has qualified it with the EF-18 and
air campaign to defeat and degrade so-called Eurofighter, German A400Ms have
Islamic State. The four-strong Italian KC-767 worked with the F/A-18, Eurofighter

fleet – in service with the 8° Gruppo at Pratica
di Mare since May 2011 – replaced a similar and Tornado, and Malaysia has
number of KC-707As. FLTLT Guy/Commonwealth of qualified the tanker with the F/A-
Australia, Department of Defence 18, Su-30MKM and Hawk. AFM

34 // December 2019 #381 www.Key.Aero

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