Stewart Penney/LONDON
UK cargo airline Air Foyle is offering to place two Antonov An-124 freighters on the UK military aircraft register if it wins the Short Term Strategic Airlifter (STSA) contest to provide the Royal Air Force with large transports.
The STSA was due to be considered by the UK Ministry of Defence's Equipment Approvals Committee (EAC) on 21 February, along with the Future Transport Aircraft (FTA) programme, intended to provide a longer-term solution to RAF heavylift needs.
A recommendation, or more probably a series of options and outcomes, from the EAC will allow the UK to signal its intentions to the seven-country Future Large Airlifter Nations Policy Group at the end of next month. STSA service entry is required by the middle of next year.
Air Foyle director Bruce Bird says two An-124s would be given RAF registrations - which would require UK military aircraft clearance - as part of its attempt to assuage concerns about the aircraft's availability during times of crises, doubts that increased during last year's Kosovo campaign.
In addition, Bird says that Marshall Aerospace will become the UK An-124 design authority, UK crews will be supplied - rather than the Ukrainians and Russians used for Air Foyle's charter work - maintenance will be performed in the UK and enough spares will be held for six weeks of intensive operations. Bird says this spares holding requirement is for longer than demanded for any other UK military equipment.
These moves make the bid low risk, says Bird, adding that the two aircraft will cost around 40% of the £500 million ($797 million) STSA budget.
Air Foyle's main STSA competitor is Boeing, offering the C-17 Globemaster - a type that is also a contender for the FTA along with the Airbus Military Company's A400M and the Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules.
As the RAF has C-130Js and is unlikely to operate three transport types, the STSA/FTA competition is viewed as a battle between the C-17 and A400M. If the US aircraft is ordered, about 10 additional C-130Js would be needed. European selection would mean 25 A400Ms would be acquired, negating the need to acquire more Hercules.
As with the Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile competition, the FTA has become mired in the Europe versus US debate. As well as the UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Turkey are considering the A400M as a pan-European project.
A BAE Systems source claims that if the UK does not select the A400M, it could still be produced as a European Aeronautic Defense and Space company programme.
Source: Flight International
