The first Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has landed in Gimhae Air Base in Busan, South Korea for its acceptance tests.
The aircraft, which was piloted by a joint Airbus and ROKAF crew, arrived in South Korea after a ferry flight from the Airbus Final Assembly Line in Getafe, Spain, with a stop in Vancouver, Canada.
It will now undergo ground and flight tests in Gimhae say Airbus.
The ROKAF will be supported by a team from Airbus, which will be based in South Korea for the duration of the tests until the aircraft is officially handed over to the customer. The photo shows the aircraft leaving Getafe.
The A330 MRTT has been ordered by the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Saudi Air Force, United Arab Emirates Air Force and Republic of Singapore Air Force.
The EADS/Northrop Grumman KC-45 was a version of the A330 MRTT proposed for the United States Air Force but this did not progress beyond the concept phase.
On 30 June 2015, South Korea selected the A330 MRTT aerial refuelling aircraft for procurement. South Korea is to order four aircraft with deliveries planned to be completed in 2019.
Congratulations to the ROKAF on an excellent choice for their airborne refuelling jet.
It appears to be just the boom option? No probes units on the wings?
No probes units
The MRTT shows that if the UK and Europe productise defense projects they’re capable of global sales. We’ve missed opportunities in the past because we haven’t considered creating a product that other nations would buy.
I suspect that however unlikely it seems based on development history the A400M may prove to be another sales success longer term. The C-17 and C-5 are no longer in production and there doesn’t seem to be anything on the horizon to augment of replace them. The C-130J’s can’t carry modern AFVs such as Boxer and Ajax or their equivalents if that’s what militaries want to do, which seems to just leave the A400M .
UK should also make the E-3D replacement project its own, push to productise the SAAB/Airbus offering with integration, wings, engines from the UK, that’s more than Boeing are offering. We sponsor the first aircraft and lead sales and integration on any future sales, SAAB and Airbus seem hungry for the work so insist on this in the contract, other countries would. At the end of the day if the UK can increase its GDP then defence get more money as its linked to 2% of GDP.
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/saab-voices-opposition-to-uk-wedgetail-buy-452945/
With a number of countries operating the MMRT commonality is there.
Sadly Politian’s are unable to see the potential.
The first refuelling jet for my homeland, South Korea, with 4 A330MRTTs, I’m sure not only ROKAF but also a lot of difference will appear in S. Korea forces.