AirTanker awarded FSTA contract

News

AirTanker has signed a contract with the UK Ministry of Defence to provide the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) for the Royal Air Force.

AirTanker has signed a 27-year contract with the UK Ministry of Defence to provide an advanced air-to-air refuelling and air transport platform for the Royal Air Force.

The AirTanker consortium, which includes Cobham, EADS, Rolls-Royce, Thales UK and VT Group, will supply a fleet of 14 new tanker aircraft based on the Airbus A330-200. The aircraft will come into service from 2011, replacing the existing fleet of VC-10s and Tristars.

The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) contract also includes the provision of all necessary infrastructure, including a two-bay hangar, training, maintenance, flight operations, fleet management and ground services to enable worldwide air-to-air refuelling and air transport missions. The infrastructure building programme at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire will commence in May 2008. The programme as a whole is expected to sustain directly up to 3,000 long-term jobs.

The A330 tanker derivative is said to have around twice the refuelling capability of the VC-10 and will be able to offload 60 tonnes of fuel at 1,000 miles from base.

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