RAF Retires TriStar Tankers As Voyager Fleet Grows | Aviation International News

RAF Retires TriStar Tankers As Voyager Fleet Grows

AIN joined the last operational Tristar mission on March 24.

An RAF TriStar KC.1 refuels two Typhoon interceptors over the North Sea on its last operational mission (Photo: Robert Archer). Inset: One of the replacement Voyagers provided by AirTanker, on night alert at RAF Brize Norton (Photo: MoD Crown Copyright).

By Chris Pocock • Defense Correspondent

March 26, 2014

The UK Royal Air Force retired its four remaining Lockheed TriStar tanker/transports on schedule this week, as the replacement fleet of Airbus A330-MRTTs grows. Seven of these aircraft—known as the Voyager in RAF service and provided under contract by AirTanker—have now been delivered, with two more slated for handover by the end of June. The Voyagers have also replaced the RAF’s venerable VC10 tanker/transports, which were retired last September.

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