The Japanese government has selected the Boeing 767 as its air-to-air refuelling platform and plans to purchase four of the tanker-transport aircraft for delivery from 2006.
The 767 was proposed by Japanese trading house Itochu and selected over a rival bid from Marubeni offering an Airbus A310-based solution. The Boeing twinjet may have been favoured partly as the type is in service as an airborne warning and command system platform with the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF).
The government is set to formally allocate the first tranche of funds for the ¥110 billion ($830 million) buy at a meeting of the Japan security council before the end of fiscal year 2002.
The acquisition of an air-to-air refuelling capability will enable the JASDF to expand the scope of combat patrols and reduce the number of take-offs and landings made by its fighters per flying hour, reducing operational costs.
Source: Flight International
