European tanker program close to RFP

The Netherlands, Norway, and Poland are expected to send an RFP to Airbus Defense and Space for up to four A330 tanker aircraft within the next few days. All four would be identical with drogue pods and a boom.

The deal would be done through the EDA, OCCAR, and NATO. They would both replace the KDC-10 used by the Netherlands, as well as give Norway and Poland their first tankers.

The purchase is a result of shortfalls found over Libya and the Balkans. European nations were reliant on US tankers for all their refueling requirements.

m.aviationweek.com...

I would have thought the UK and France had tankers to support them?

Though I,m guessing we have so few to spare compared to the US.

a reply to: crazyewok

The French have one of the largest tanker fleets in Europe, with 14 C/KC-135s. They're undergoing a modernization to Block 40 standards. The RAF currently operates nine A330 tankers, only some of which are capable of boom refueling. They have 5 surge aircraft operating with Thomas Cooke.

Sharing of tankers within the EU seems like a logical step. We in The Netherlands just can't afford to replace the KDC-10 on our own. With the ever bigger international integration of air, land and sea units of the Dutch military and seeing we also share some C-17's among NATO allies I think this is a reasonable solution in these circumstances.
However, we desperately need to spend more money on our military to avoid hollowing it out all the way. We have a tendency to buy fancy new stuff, but mothball or sell it almost immediately. It is not only a matter of lack of money to buy stuff but also a great lack of qualified personnel to maintain it!
So far for my rant Hope this deal will work out!

a reply to: spaceman42

They've recently signed a weapons sharing agreement too. That's another lesson they learned in Libya. None of them have large stockpiles, so they have started an agreement where they'll just stockpile the entire arsenal, and grab the first available instead of their own specific weapons, and then whoever used them will replace them later for the owner of them.

I didnt think the UK had any boomers, all drogues?

Does anyone think they will ever make the aircraft dual receiving capability or phase out drogue or probe?

I recall Zaphod saying the probe is the only (best) way of filling big qty so strategic assets. UK only has fighter/bombers as with marines/navy so the drogue is only capable from the buddy system.

Seems daft having two systems, why couldnt a refueller just have both?

a reply to: Forensick

Many of them do now. The pods on the wingtips are for probe and drogue, and they have a boom under the tail. The KC-10 has a drogue permanently installed next to the boom.

It was a lesson slowly learned by the Air Force. They'd have Navy and Marine aircraft come up to a KC-135 for fuel and not be able to get any because they didn't have the drogue attached to the boom.

The boom is the fast way to pass fuel though.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Are those pods like a fuel hose reel and linked to the same fuel tanks the boom is?

a reply to: Forensick

Yes. The basket reels out behind the wing and they pump fuel from the same tanks. It's just like what you see when a C-130 is refueling a helicopter.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: spaceman42

They've recently signed a weapons sharing agreement too. That's another lesson they learned in Libya. None of them have large stockpiles, so they have started an agreement where they'll just stockpile the entire arsenal, and grab the first available instead of their own specific weapons, and then whoever used them will replace them later for the owner of them.

The problem with that is that when we do enter into a more serious conflict we as a whole run out of supplies even faster. I do agree with the idea of sharing equipment and supplies and combining forces, but I suspect its just another way to cut spending. Luckily the general consensus in my country is that defense needs more money to keep up with its ambitions and responsibilities around the world. Hopefully the cuts in recent years will be turned back and defense will be taken more seriously with the increased tensions in the 'neighbourhood'. Too bad that the most important decisions are usually made by the people with the least knowledge about the thing they are deciding...