The Airbus A310 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport
[ is a military ]air-to-air refuelling
Aerial refueling ( en-us), or aerial refuelling (en-gb), also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to anot ...
, or in-flight refuelling tanker transport aircraft, capable of operating multi-role missions. The A310 MRTT tanker aircraft is a subsequent development from the earlier Airbus A310 MRT Multi-Role Transport, which was a military transport aircraft
A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military aircraft, military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to m ...
for passengers, cargo, and medical evacuation. The A310 MRT and A310 MRTT are both specialist military conversions of existing airframe
The mechanical structure of an aircraft is known as the airframe. This structure is typically considered to include the fuselage, undercarriage, empennage and wings, and excludes the propulsion system.
Airframe design is a field of aeros ...
s of the civilian Airbus A310-300C wide-bodied passenger jet airliner
A jet airliner or jetliner is an airliner powered by jet engines (passenger jet aircraft). Airliners usually have twinjet, two or quadjet, four jet engines; trijet, three-engined designs were popular in the 1970s but are less common today. Air ...
.
Airbus A310 MRTT
Design and development
The Airbus A310 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport is a military derivative of the Airbus A310-300C twin-jet wide-bodied jet airliner
A jet airliner or jetliner is an airliner powered by jet engines (passenger jet aircraft). Airliners usually have twinjet, two or quadjet, four jet engines; trijet, three-engined designs were popular in the 1970s but are less common today. Air ...
. The A310 MRTT was primarily designed for military use as a multi-role air-to-air refuelling tanker, cargo transport, passenger transport, and aeromedical evacuation
Aeromedical evacuation (AE) is the use of military transport aircraft to carry wounded personnel.
The first recorded British ambulance flight took place in 1917 in the Sinai Peninsula some 30 miles south of El Arish when a Royal Aircraft ...
(MedEvac) aircraft.[
The aircraft are designed, engineered, ]manufactured
Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of the
secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a ...
, and modified by Airbus Industrie
Airbus SE ( ; ; ; ) is a Pan-European aerospace corporation. The company's primary business is the design and manufacturing of commercial aircraft but it also has separate defence and space and helicopter divisions. Airbus has long been the ...
and EADS subsidiary Airbus Military SAS, along with their subcontractors, which included Airbus Deutschland and Lufthansa Technik
Lufthansa Technik AG ('Lufthansa Engineering', often referred to simply as "LHT") is a Germany-based company that provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for aircraft, engines, and components. It is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa ...
.[ The conversion from the A310 MRT involves:
*Installation of two air-to-air refuelling (AAR) pods, one under each ]wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...
, close to the wingtip
A wing tip (or wingtip) is the part of the wing that is most distant from the fuselage of a fixed-wing aircraft.
Because the wing tip shape influences the size and drag of the wingtip vortices, tip design has produced a diversity of sha ...
;[
*Five additional centre fuel tanks or Additional Centre Tanks (ACT), providing an extra ; giving a total capacity of , or ;][
*Fuel operator station (FOS), in the ]cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, on the front part of an aircraft, spacecraft, or submersible, from which a pilot controls the vehicle.
The cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments on an instrument panel, and the controls th ...
immediately behind the captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
,[ to control fuel offload, cameras, military radios, and exterior lighting. For MRTT, remote surveillance of approaching / air-to-air refuelling process with a ]night-vision
Night vision is the ability to see in low-light conditions, either naturally with scotopic vision or through a night-vision device. Night vision requires both sufficient spectral range and sufficient intensity range. Humans have poor night vis ...
capable video system had to be developed. This system (developed by a small company from Germany called FTI Group) allows operation both with visible light, and also near-infrared radiation.[ The refuelling monitor was integrated in the year 2008.;
*Reinforced wings and aircraft floor;
*Minor cockpit modifications.
The design of the in-flight refuelling pod and wing reinforcements and systems was subcontracted to ITD SA, at that time part of the ]Industria de Turbo Propulsores
ITP Aero (Industria de Turbo Propulsores) is a Spanish aero engine and gas turbine manufacturer.
It was established in 1989 as a joint venture between Spanish engineering conglomerate SENER and Rolls-Royce Plc. By 2015, it had grown to become a ...
(ITP) Group.
When not used as an in-flight refueller, i.e., in an air cargo
Air cargo is any property carried or to be carried in an aircraft. Air cargo comprises air freight, air express and airmail.
Aircraft types
Different cargo can be transported by passenger, cargo or combi aircraft:
* Passenger aircraft use the ...
role, the A310 MRTT is capable of carrying a non-fuel payload of up to , or 81,600 lb. When used in a troop transport role, the A310 MRTT can accommodate up to 214 seats
A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but may also refer to concentrations of power in a wider sense (i.e " seat (legal entity)"). See disambiguation.
Types of seat
The ...
. And for a mixed-use combined troop transport and cargo, it can carry 54 troops and 12 pallets.[ The A310 MRTT contains four separate cargo systems within the ]fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French language, French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds Aircrew, crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an Aircraft engine, engine as wel ...
, including the main deck cargo compartment, which is loaded and unloaded via the vertically opening main deck cargo door, located on the front left (port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
) side. This means that main deck cargo can be loaded by overhead crane, in addition to conventional cargo loading platforms. Below deck are three more cargo compartments, and can accommodate container and palletised loads up to in height.[
When used in the ]aero
Aero is a Greek prefix relating to flight and air. In British English, it is used as an adjective related to flight (e.g., as a shortened substitute for aeroplane).
Aero, Ærø, or Aeros may refer to:
Aeronautics Airlines and companies
* Aero (A ...
-medical
Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...
MedEvac
Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to patients requiring evacuation or transport using medically equipped air ambulances, helicopters an ...
role, the A310 MRTT can accommodate up to six intensive care unit
An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensive care medicine.
An inten ...
s, together with 56 conventional stretcher
A stretcher, gurney, litter, or pram is an medical device, apparatus used for moving patients who require medical care. A basic type (cot or litter) must be carried by two or more people. A wheeled stretcher (known as a gurney, trolley, bed or ...
s.[
Operated by a ]crew
A crew is a body or a group of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchy, hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard. The word has nautical resonances: the ta ...
of three: two pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
s and the air-to-air refuelling (AAR) operator, the pilots are able to directly operate all functions of in-flight refuelling, even if the AAR post is deactivated.[ Depending on mission, the A310 MRTT can deliver up to of fuel to receiver aircraft on an operation of , or up to of fuel during a mission. All fuel to receiver aircraft is supplied directly from the centre tank, if necessary, drawing fuel from conventional fuel tanks; this is controlled automatically by the fuel management system together with the centre of gravity computer, to ensure correct fuel feed to the ]engines
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gen ...
, and maintaining the correct centre of gravity
In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space (sometimes referred to as the barycenter or balance point) is the unique point at any given time where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero. For a ...
in flight.[
The dual hose and drogue system was supplied by ]Flight Refuelling Ltd
Flight or flying is the motion of an object through an atmosphere, or through the vacuum of space, without contacting any planetary surface. This can be achieved by generating aerodynamic lift associated with gliding or propulsive thrust, aero ...
(FRL) of England, and uses the Mk32B pods under each wing on pylons, close to the wingtips. Two receiver aircraft can be refuelled simultaneously, and is capable of delivering per minute.[
While the original and current A310 MRTTs rely on probe and drogue for air-to-air refuelling, EADS has invested $90m in research and development of a flying boom refuelling system such as that used by the ]United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
(USAF). They are now able to offer air tankers from the A310 with air-to-air refuelling pods to the larger A330 MRTT
The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is a European aerial refueling and military transport aircraft based on the civilian Airbus A330. A total of 15 countries have placed firm orders for approximately 82 aircraft, of which 64 had ...
equipped with refuelling booms. When installed, the flying boom system can deliver fuel to receiver aircraft at a rate of per minute, and is supplied by two hose drum units (HDU) centrally mounted side by side in the rear fuselage.[
The A310 MRTT is 30% smaller by ]MTOW
The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) or maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) or maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of an aircraft, also known as the maximum structural takeoff weight or maximum structural takeoff mass, is the maximum weight at which the p ...
than the newer A330 MRTT. Since the production of A310 airframes was discontinued in 2007, the air-to-air refuelling conversion can only be made on existing refurbished airliners, or as an upgrade to A310 MRTs[ already used by ]air force
An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
s (the option taken by Germany and Canada). As an air tanker, it has a similar fuel capacity to the KC-135R
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave ...
. Because of the larger passenger cabin, it is much more flexible, offering good capacity for cargo, troop transport Troop transport may be:
* Troopship
* Military Railway Service (United States)
* Military transport aircraft
A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military aircraft, military-owned transport aircraft used ...
, VIP transport
A very important person (VIP or V.I.P.) or personage is a person who is accorded special privileges due to their high social rank, status, influence, or importance. The term was not common until sometime after World War II when it was popular ...
, or other uses; and lacking only the capacity to land on rough strips to qualify as a strategic transport. Airbus hopes to sell it to some of the countries that need to replace the aging Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is an early American long-range Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner, the first jetliner developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, the initial first flew on Decembe ...
s they use as tankers.
Pakistan has also ordered MRTT capability built on an A310, although the aircraft is no longer in production.
Operators
Canada
The Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...
(RCAF) converted two of their five existing A310 MRTs to MRTT configuration, which are known as the CC-150 Polaris
The Airbus CC-150 Polaris is the designation for the civilian Airbus A310-300s which have been converted into multi-purpose, long-range jet aircraft for passenger, freight or medical transport and mid-air refueling for the Royal Canadian Air F ...
in Canadian service, the first also delivered October 2004.[
]
Germany
The German Air Force
The German Air Force (, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ) was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War as the aerial warfare branch of the armed forces of West Ger ...
(Luftwaffe) was the first customer for the MRTT, converting four of their seven existing A310 MRTs, with deliveries starting in October 2004.
During June 2007, EADS
Airbus SE ( ; ; ; ) is a Pan-European aerospace corporation. The company's primary business is the design and manufacturing of commercial aircraft but it also has separate defence and space and helicopter divisions. Airbus has long been th ...
delivered the first upgraded A310 MRTT with new mission avionics to the German Air Force. This new mission avionics suite facilitated the allocation of the upgraded A310 MRTT to NATO Reaction Forces.[
The first operational use with the German Luftwaffe took place on , when three German ]Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, supersonic, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Syste ...
s of Jagdgeschwader 73 ''Steinhoff'' (30+23, 30+25, and 30+38), led by Colonel Andreas Schick, were refuelled en-route by an A310 MRTT tanker aircraft during their deployment from Laage Airbase (), Rostock
Rostock (; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Roztoc''), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (), is the largest city in the German States of Germany, state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the sta ...
, Germany, to Yelahanka Air Force Station
The Yelahanka Air Force Station is an Indian Air Force airfield in Yelahanka, Bengaluru. The main role of this airfield is to train pilots to fly transport planes. This station also conducts type-conversion of navigators on the Antonov An-32.
...
, near Bangalore
Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
, India. Despite not yet receiving final approval of in-flight refuelling operations by the German authorities, this air-to-air refuelling mission was sanctioned as part of the A310 MRTTs 'operational testing phase' for in-flight refuelling, and consisted of a flight route of nearly , including a stopover at the Al Dahfra airbase () in the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
. The objective of the deployment to India was to demonstrate the Eurofighter in a competition for Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), against competition from the Mikoyan MiG-35
The Mikoyan MiG-35 (; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-F) is a Russian multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter that is designed by Mikoyan, a division of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). Marketed as a Fourth-generation fighter, 4++ gener ...
, the Saab Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen ( ; English: ''Griffin'') is a light fighter, light single-engine supersonic multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab AB. The Gripen has a delta ...
, the Lockheed Martin F-16
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evol ...
, the Boeing F-18E / F, and the Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale (, literally meaning "gust of wind", or "burst of fire" in a more military sense) is a French Twinjet, twin-engine, Canard (aeronautics), canard delta wing, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft designed and ...
.
Specifications (A310 MRTT)
See also
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Airbus A310 Mrtt
Aircraft first flown in 2003
A310 MRTT
The Airbus A310 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport is a military Aerial refuelling, air-to-air refuelling, or in-flight refuelling tanker transport aircraft, capable of operating multi-role missions. The A310 MRTT tanker aircraft is a subsequent ...
2000s international military tanker aircraft
2000s international military transport aircraft
Twinjets
Low-wing aircraft
German military transport aircraft
Canadian military transport aircraft