Busan – The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft on January 30, 2019.
The new-generation A330 MRTT extends the endurance and range of the ROKAF’s fighter aircraft with air-to-air refueling while providing the strategic transport task forces capability for passengers and freight at the same time.
Airbus’s A330 MRTT won the South Korean bid against the Boeing’s KC-46A Pegasus and B767-300 Multi-Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT) of Israel Aerospace Industries.
The South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) justified its choice of tanker aircraft with Airbus A330 MRTT’s superior combat range and payload capacity besides its affordable price compared to its rivals.
The A330 MRTT of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) is equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, Airbus Refuelling Boom System, and can be configured in a variety of layouts to carry passengers and freight or for medevac purposes.
South Korea becomes the seventh member of the worldwide family of A330 MRTT operators and is one of 12 nations to have ordered the aircraft. This latest delivery brings the total in-service fleet to 35.
Fernando Alonso, Executive Vice President, Airbus, said: “The A330 MRTT has clearly established itself as the world’s premier tanker and strategic transport aircraft, and has been widely praised by the current operators. It will be a critical asset of the ROKAF and leading air forces worldwide for many decades.”
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2017 it generated revenues of € 59 billion restated for IFRS 15 and employed a workforce of around 129,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
Source : Airbus
