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Airbus A330 MRTT

2011 MODERN AIRCRAFT

Airbus A330 MRTT History

The French Airbus A330 MRTT (Multipurpose Tanker Transport) is a modern militarized version of the commercial-oriented A330-200 family. Originally a wide-body aircraft, the A330 first flew in November 1992 and entered the market in January 1994.

Nearly 1,000 of them have been produced since then (2013) and the model has proven popular with several major airlines including De Lata and Qatar Airways.

The A330 MRTT takes the original design one step further by providing the global military market with a powerful aerial tanker platform. Externally, the design remains largely unchanged, including the same low-set wings, forward-offset flight deck, conventional single vertical tail unit and engine nacelles mounted below. Inside, however, most of the space is reserved for aviation fuel storage or cargo space, which requires a minimum of three operators (fuel system/cargo management and two pilots). This model is powered by a variety of engines to meet customer requirements - UK Rolls-Royce Trent 772B series, US GE CF6-80E1A4 and US Pratt & Whitney PW 4168A series turbofans rated at 72,000 lbs of thrust.

Performance specs include a top speed of 550 mph, a cruising speed of 535 mph, a range of up to 9,200 miles, and a service ceiling of 41,500 feet. The first flight of the MRTT prototype took place on June 15, 2007, and it entered service on June 1, 2011. Production started in 2007.

Airbus has designed the MRTT as a multi-purpose platform that can be converted into a standard theater transporter, transporting pallets and containers, or when equipped to accommodate approximately 380 passengers. Depending on the operator's preference, the product can be equipped with dedicated refueling arms, underwing refueling pods and/or a fuselage refueling unit (FRU) under its tanker guise.

When fully loaded, the MRTT can hold 240,000 pounds of fuel.

A variant of the A330 MRTT formerly known as the "KC-45A" (under the joint brand of EADS and Northrop Grumman) during which it failed to become the next USAF Refueler.