Airbus Industrie is to offer to replace the Royal Air Force's Vickers VC10 tanker/ transport fleet as early as the turn of the century, more than a decade before the service originally planned to retire the aircraft.
The consortium is preparing to submit an unsolicited proposal to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) this year, covering the supply of up to 20 new A310 multi-role tanker/transports (MRTTs)to the RAF, say sources close to the project. Deliveries could begin as early as 2000, if required.
The RAF's planned out-of-service date for the VC10 is 2012. There are indications, however, that there is growing concern over the increasing maintenance costs of the ageing aircraft.
Airbus is pitching the MRTT against the Boeing 767-300, with the latter manufacturer having already submitted outline proposals to the MoD for the supply of new and used aircraft intended to replace the RAF's VC10s and Lockheed L-1011 TriStars.
The consortium is focusing on offering new-build aircraft, in part because of a lack of suitable used A310s, and because the reduction in operational costs, compared with the existing transports, is large enough to justify the cost of new aircraft, say the sources.
The work would also allow Airbus to keep the relatively low-cost A310 production line open as commercial orders dwindle.
Two options for MRTT production are being considered. The aircraft could be built in the standard passenger configuration, and be converted to military specification, including the installation of cargo doors, by British Aerospace Aviation Services. Alternatively, the production line could be modified to carry out many of the alterations. Some 25 A300-600 freighters are already being manufactured with cargo doors installed.
The MRTT fleet would be financed privately, possibly involving an aircraft-leasing organisation, engine manufacturers and BAe Aviation Services, with the latter taking responsibility for performing heavy-maintenance checks on the aircraft. A formal request for proposals could be issued by the MoD this year.
Source: Flight International
