The United Arab Emirates has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT), flown in from Airbus Military's Getafe site near Madrid.
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| Airbus Military |
Equipped with an aerial refuelling boom system and under-wing hose and drogue refuelling pods, the MRTT will be used to support combat types including the Lockheed Martin F-16E and Dassault Mirage 2000. It represents the UAE's first tanker capability.
Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, the aircraft is also configured to transport up to 256 passengers, in a two-class configuration.
"The remaining two aircraft are at an advanced stage of conversion and will be delivered by mid-2013," Airbus Military says. The company performed the debut flight of a modified A330 for the UAE in April 2011, and had at that time expected to hand over its first example by mid-2012.
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| Airbus Military The UAE's new tanker fleet will support types including the Mirage 2000 |
Versions of the A330 MRTT have now been delivered to Australia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the UK, which have ordered a combined 28 examples. India has also recently selected the type for a six-aircraft requirement, but has yet to sign a contract.
Source: Flight International
