Royal Air Force

In March 2008 the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence signed with the AirTanker consortium contract for the provision of air transport and air refuelling capabilities to the Royal Air Force (RAF) for 27 years, under the form of a Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

The FSTA fleet, based on 14 new Airbus A330-200s fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines and Thales avionics, will replace RAF Brize Norton’s Tristar K1/KC1/C2/C2A (216 Squadron) and VC-10C1K/K3/K4 (101 Squadron) aircraft.

The aircraft – which will be owned and supported by AirTanker under the terms of the deal - will undertake air-to-air refuelling and strategic transport tasks.

AirTanker is a UK company with five shareholders: Cobham, EADS, Rolls-Royce, Thales UK and VT Group plc, who are also its main suppliers and sub-contractors.

Two aircraft are being converted in Spain and the remainder will be converted in the UK by Cobham.

The configuration is the following:
• Engines: Rolls-Royce Trent 700
• Transport:
   - Passengers: 291 seats in a single class configuration
   - Medevac: 40 NATO stretchers, 20 passenger seats for medical staff
     and 100 passenger seats
   - Permanent lower deck capacity: 8 x 463-L NATO military
• AAR Equipment:
   - Two Cobham 905E under-wing pods
   - One Cobham 805E Fuselage Refuelling Unit (FRU) (some aircraft)

AirTanker Ltd consortium web site