Article Posted on : - Nov 12, 2011

The third Airbus Military A330MRTT was delivered to RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. Photo: Airbus Military.

SYDNEY (BNS): The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has recently received the third Airbus Military A330 MRTT multi-role tanker/transport.

The aircraft was delivered to RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland in a ceremony attended by Military representatives, according to a news release by Airbus Military.

The first two KC-30As were delivered in June.

With three MRTTs now in RAAF fleet service, a fourth - actually the first to be converted but at Airbus Military's headquarters in Spain - will be handed over in Madrid in December. The fifth and final aircraft, which arrived in Brisbane for conversion some weeks ago, will be delivered next year.

In RAAF service, the aircraft are equipped with two underwing refuelling pods, the fly-by-wire Airbus Military Aerial Refuelling Boom System (ARBS), and a Universal Aerial Refuelling Receptacle Slipway Installation (UARRSI) enabling it to be refuelled from another tanker.

Powered by two General Electric CF6-80E engines, the aircraft are equipped with a comprehensive defensive aids suite (DAS) and fitted with 270 passenger seats.