Australia orders airborne refueling tankers

CANBERRA, Australia, July 2 (UPI) -- Airbus Defense and Space is to provide Australia with two additional TA330 MRTT tanker variant aircraft under a deal worth more than $313.7 million.

The multi-role tanker, designated the KC-30A by Australia, has a fuel capacity of more than 110 tons, and transfers fuel to F/A-18A/B Hornets, F/A-18F Super Hornets, E-7A Wedgetails, C-17A Globemasters and other KC-30A aircraft through a long refueling boom system or its two hose-and-drogue refueling pods.

In the future it will refuel EA-18G Growler, P-8A Poseidon and the F-35A aircraft.

Australia currently has five KC-30s. The aircraft played a major role in the Middle East. Refueling Australian and coalition force aircraft, said Australia's Department of Defense.

According to Airbus DS, the aircraft ordered by Australia will be based on two previously-owned Qantas Airways A330-200 airliners, which will be converted to A330 MRTTs by the company.

The Royal Australian Air Force chose this option because the two planes "are extremely close" to the same basic specification as the KC-30As already in service.

"We deeply appreciate the RAAF's long-term support of the development of the A330 MRTT since launch and we thank the Commonwealth of Australia for its continued faith in our company and its products," said Antonio Rodriguez Barberan, Airbus Defense and Space's head of Sales & Marketing, Military Aircraft.

The aircraft will be converted at a company facility in Spain and delivered to Australia in 2018.

Airbus Defense and Space is headquartered in Germany. Its military fixed-wing aircraft are primarily manufactured in Spain.