Aircraft
Airbus Offers Enhanced A330 Tanker/transport
Soon several countries will be operating the Airbus A330-based MRTT tanker aircraft, with more orders expected from around the world.
The RAF’s Voyager fleet has been cleared for protected air transport operations with the defensive aids suite, allowing the aircraft to operate into theater. Voyager operations to Afghanistan began just before Christmas 2013.
The RAF’s Voyager fleet has been cleared for protected air transport operations with the defensive aids suite, allowing the aircraft to operate into theater. Voyager operations to Afghanistan began just before Christmas 2013.

Airbus Defence and Space Military Aircraft (Outdoor Exhibit 13) has announced that it will begin deliveries of an improved version of the A330 multi-role tanker transport in late 2017. The initial A330 MRTT Enhanced aircraft will be the first of six that were ordered by Singapore earlier this year. Subsequent production aircraft will all be of the new version.

In part, the introduction of the A330 MRTT Enhanced has been forced by changes implemented on the main A330 airliner production line at Toulouse, which is introducing a range of improvements beginning next year. These include structural enhancements, aerodynamic alterations to reduce fuel-burn, and an avionics pack including Power-8 computers and new display screens.