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Aerial Refuelling and Air Lift Capabilities |
 Recapitalising
tanker fleets represents a major political and budgetary challenge, yet
tankers remain the critical single point of failure enabling capability
for modern air power (US DoD).
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| The
RAAF is
introducing new aerial refuelling tankers, which are a necessary
prerequisite for the application of modern air power. Unfortunately
fleet numbers remain an issue, especially given regional geography,
global commitments, and the increasing demand for persistence in combat
aircraft, driven by networked operations. This website will post a selection of relevant articles, submissions and papers. |
The Parliamentary Debate [Click for more ...] |
| Related
Links [Click for more ...] |
 Above/below:
Rollout of the RAAF KC-30/A330-200MRTT prototype 12th
June, 2007 (EADS
photo)
 |
 Flight Testing of the
EADS ARBS boom on an A310 airframe (EADS photo).
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 The
Boeing C-17A Globemaster III is the latest addition to the RAAF's
airlift fleet. These superb aircraft are unfortunately inadequate in
numbers to address long term strategic needs (Boeing, US DoD).
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| In
terms of fuel offload capacity, the A330-200 is larger than the KC-135R
and KC-767-200, but smaller than the KC-10/MD-11 derivatives and the
now
very affordable used 747-400. The RAAF's new A330-200 will be a
respectable medium sized tanker aircraft, but the small number, five
aircraft, will not be adequate to support more than a fraction of the
RAAF combat fleet at any time. |
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The
Boeing (MDC) KC-10A Extender is based on the DC-10-30 and remains the
only heavy tanker in wider use (U.S. Air Force).
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Global
Airtanker Service MDC KDC-10 tanker at Farnborough (Courtesy of Global
Airtanker Service).
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| During
the
late 1970s the 747-100 tanker conversion was developed for the US Air
Force ACTA program, in competition with the DC-10-30. Several were
built
and later exported (Boeing photos). |
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| Australia uses the C-130H
and
C-130J for intra- and inter-theatre lift roles. The inter-theatre lift
role is one where these aircraft cannot compete against larger
alternatives (Paul Sadler photos). |
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| The venerable Caribou
remained in
use as the light tactical airlift element of the RAAF for decades.
These aircraft
remain unmatched in short field and soft field landing and takeoff
performance. To date Defence have not responded to industry proposals
for a turboprop retrofit (Paul Sadler photo). |
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Turbo Caribou
prototype in flight off the New Jersey coast. Note the five bladed
Hartzell propellers (Pen Turbo photo).
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