According to Airbus, no reconfiguration is required, unless you want to set it up for medical or cargo. It's pretty flexible, so ultimately the best option for those countries with limited defence budgets. Kind of a Swiss army knife aircraft.
Opportunity to update the CC-150 fleet?
- Thread starter KawarthaCruiser
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I take issue with that statement as you can’t have the fuel bladders and the passenger seating pallet modules in at the same time.
The image from Airbus’s website shows what needs to get swapped.
As I understand it, the various modules get unlocked and slide down to the side cargo door then can be unloaded.
Depending on the degree of ground support systems it should be swappable from 45min to several hours.
I don’t think it’s something you really want to swap out all the time, simply because it increases the risk of somebody breaking something, or not affixing something correctly.
I could be wrong, but I don't believe the MRTT uses fuel bladders inside the passenger section - the fuel is all carried in internal tanks.
Quirky
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Stupid decisions from clueless leaders is what the RCAF is about.
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Just looking at the schematics I can’t see the room for that much fuel without removing the passenger modules.
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Get up on the wrong side of the bed, today?
OldSolduer
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There’s a two hour episode about 707s that provide in flight refueling . It’s a private company called Omega.
I believe they use fuel bladders in the fuselage.
Adding: maybe the RCAF should talk to these guys.
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The 110,000kg of fuel is the same as the unmodified A330-200; the MRTT shares its internal fuel load.
A fully fuelled MRTT can carry an additional 45,000kg of cargo (including self loading cargo). Don't know if there are options for additional fuel pods.
From the article:
"With 245,000 lb. (111,000 kg) of fuel in its standard internal tanks, the A330 is the first aircraft adapted for aerial refueling that did not require installation of extra fuel bladders, enabling it to carry its full load of fuel while reserving all of its main and lower decks for passengers and cargo."
Program Dossier: A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) | Aviation Week Network
The Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker-Transport (MRTT) is a European air-refueling tanker derived from the widebody civil airliner bearing the same name.
aviationweek.com
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Brain fart on model - appreciate that - I had the A320 fuel load on another screen and thus wasn't getting how it was possible - until I finally noticed the 2 wasn't a 3.From the article:
"With 245,000 lb. (111,000 kg) of fuel in its standard internal tanks, the A330 is the first aircraft adapted for aerial refueling that did not require installation of extra fuel bladders, enabling it to carry its full load of fuel while reserving all of its main and lower decks for passengers and cargo."
Program Dossier: A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) | Aviation Week Network
The Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker-Transport (MRTT) is a European air-refueling tanker derived from the widebody civil airliner bearing the same name.
I noticed that internal pods are being looked at for the KC-Z with the LocMart/Airbus combo so it will have at least as much as the KC46A.
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Correct. 13 tons extra, in fact. Don't think it will be through the use of internal pods, however. Note that the "standard" MRTT already carries more fuel than the Pegasus.
Lockheed Is Bringing Back The Airbus A330 Tanker To Compete Against Boeing
The Air Force wants to buy dozens of new tankers to fill a gap between the last expected deliveries of KC-46As and a future advanced design.
www.thedrive.com
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RCAF has experience in the field, and is acquiring a MOTS solution which will be interoperable with NATO allies, and be able to leverage commercial aviation supply chain and maintenance facilities.
Not certain that folks flying decrepit no longer produced aircraft have that much to teach...
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Interesting two other articles (including one of the above articles in this thread) claimed the 46A carries more - but even Boeing and the USAF says 212,299 pounds (or 96,297kg) and 18 pallets with a total of 65,000lb (or 29,484kg) of additional cargo.Correct. 13 tons extra, in fact. Don't think it will be through the use of internal pods, however. Note that the "standard" MRTT already carries more fuel than the Pegasus.
Lockheed Is Bringing Back The Airbus A330 Tanker To Compete Against Boeing
The Air Force wants to buy dozens of new tankers to fill a gap between the last expected deliveries of KC-46As and a future advanced design.
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Retaining the current pax config, for now - so no dedicated cabin for the PM.
Spencer100
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That put a smile on my face today.
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As much as I don’t appreciate the current Canadian PM, I don’t think that not having a dedicated aircraft suite is a good thing.
Canada is a large wealthy country and having a dedicate aircraft setup for the leader shouldn’t be an issue.
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I hope they are all Economy seats in the front.
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I think the issue is that we need these two aircraft now and to put one into immediate refit for a VIP plug would delay that. I do not have any particular insight into the long range transport fleet, but it would not surprise me if one of them eventually got a mod.
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Nope. They are both delivered as Kuwait Air configured them, so would expect they have first class bed seats upfront.
Spencer100
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You're right of course. I'm just being a little %&*%.
I just have a hard time with this one. It has the feel of Challenger buys. Oh we need to replace the CC-150 VVIP and refueler. OK this buy looks to move faster than all the others. It just smells and tastes wrong.
In defence of the RCAF yes the CC-150 need to be replaced. And they of course didn't want to announce or buy anything before the CF-18 replacement was locked down. That I agree with at least on the optics side of house. Remember reading some press against the F-35 saying they don't work with our refeulers and they used this as one of the major point against. Dumb point but one that was used.
One more point in my dark heart.......If my thinking is right that the purchase got though because Socks wanted a better jet....that this announcement is somebody's passive aggressive way of F you.
Or the Liberal know an election is coming and this is clearing a file as a stick for the opposition to use.
But really in truth sounds like the best short term option and the RCAF is making a good call.
