The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has deployed a single Airbus Defence & Space A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) to support coalition operations in the Middle East.
The type, designated KC-30A in Australian service, has operated in the region before.
“Despite its territorial defeat, Daesh continues to pose a security threat in the Middle East region and beyond,” says Australia’s Department of Defence (DoD). “The KC-30A will provide important air-to-air refueling capability, which is essential to sustain effective Coalition air operations in the region.”
Commonwealth of Australia
The DoD notes that the aircraft can refuel “almost all aircraft,” including the Lockheed Martin F-16 and F-35, as well as all variants of the F/A-18.
It did not specify precisely which base from which the aircraft will operate.
Images it provided about the deployment indicate the aircraft bears the serial number A39-006.
Commonwealth of Australia
Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer shows that the aircraft (MSN 892) was delivered new as an A330-200 to Qantas Airways in January 2008. It formerly bore the commercial registration VH-EBH.
Qantas retired the jet in 2015, after which Airbus converted it to a tanker in Spain and it entered service in September 2017. The RAAF operates seven KC-30As.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
