Netherlands has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Luxembourg to acquire a shared fleet of two Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transpo...
Netherlands has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Luxembourg to acquire a shared fleet of two Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (A330 MRTT) aircraft, with options for up to six more.
The options will be exercised only if other prospective nations Belgium, Germany, Norway and Poland join the group. The contract also covers two years of initial support.
First aircraft will be delivered in 2020, the same year Royal Netherlands Air Force start decommissioning its two McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 tankers acquired in 1995.
The aircraft will be NATO property and will be stationed at Eindhoven Air Base for pooling and sharing.
The expected life span of the fleet is 30 years and the investment budget is between €250 million and €1 billion. The acquisition cost will be shared if more countries join the program.
Both countries are examining the possibility of collaborating with France and the United Kingdom for crew training and maintenance. France is set to receive its first A330 MRTT aircraft in 2018, while UK already operates the type dubbed Voyager.
The A330 MRTT can both double as a Tanker aircraft for air to air refueling and as a Transport aircraft for carrying troops and cargo. In its tanker role, it can carry 111 tonnes of fuel, while in transport role it can carry 291 troops or up to 43 tonnes of cargo.
Based on Airbus A330 commercial jetliner platfrom, the aircraft is refitted to the MRTT role by Airbus Defense and Space facility in Spain.
MRTT is equipped with three refueling points to refuel both probe and receptacle equipped aircraft.
The options will be exercised only if other prospective nations Belgium, Germany, Norway and Poland join the group. The contract also covers two years of initial support.
First aircraft will be delivered in 2020, the same year Royal Netherlands Air Force start decommissioning its two McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 tankers acquired in 1995.
The aircraft will be NATO property and will be stationed at Eindhoven Air Base for pooling and sharing.
The expected life span of the fleet is 30 years and the investment budget is between €250 million and €1 billion. The acquisition cost will be shared if more countries join the program.
Both countries are examining the possibility of collaborating with France and the United Kingdom for crew training and maintenance. France is set to receive its first A330 MRTT aircraft in 2018, while UK already operates the type dubbed Voyager.
The A330 MRTT can both double as a Tanker aircraft for air to air refueling and as a Transport aircraft for carrying troops and cargo. In its tanker role, it can carry 111 tonnes of fuel, while in transport role it can carry 291 troops or up to 43 tonnes of cargo.
Based on Airbus A330 commercial jetliner platfrom, the aircraft is refitted to the MRTT role by Airbus Defense and Space facility in Spain.
MRTT is equipped with three refueling points to refuel both probe and receptacle equipped aircraft.
