Roles

The A330-200 FSTA will provide the RAF with a new standard in air transport:

• Modern, comfortable, fully equipped passenger cabins providing up to 290 seats with no reconfiguration of the tanker transport required
• A330 standard cargo space fully available for the widest range of pallets and containers
• Lower deck cargo bay equipped with semi automatic loading system

The multi role tanker acts as a multiplier of forces, significantly enhancing the range of any fighter equipped for air-to-air refuelling missions. It provides approximately twice the air-to-air refuelling capability of the VC10 and a similar capacity to the Tristar, but with the advantage of two underwing refuelling pods, as well as a third refuelling hose on some aircraft.

Towline mission capability. Over 60 tonnes of fuel can be offloaded at 1000 nautical miles from base, during 2 hours on station.

Deployment (trail) mission capability. Can deploy four fighter aircraft up to 2800nm from base, whilst carrying up to 15 tonnes of additional payload.

For medical evacuation, up to 40 NATO stretchers and 20 passenger seats for medical staff to monitor the patients can be installed in the forward cabin. In the aft cabin, there are up to 100 passenger seats.