Mrtt Aircraft - Minister Ng Eng Hen said: “The attainment of FOC by 112 Squadron for the Airbus A330 MRTT obviously marks a significant milestone in the capabilities of the RSAF. The MRTT marks another step up in extending the range of RSAF's fleet of planes.”
In the latest match-up in the cross-ocean rivalry between the American and European manufacturers, an Airbus A310 MRTT tanker test aircraft successfully completed an automatic refueling operation with a Portuguese Air Force fighter jet. Boeing has not yet been able to achieve the feat, even with its newest aerial tanker.
Mrtt Aircraft
Minister Ng added: “Their expertise and persistence enabled operational and technical problems to be addressed. DSTA engineers worked with the original equipment manufacturer to resolve the problem and their proposed modifications are now being assessed and promulgated across the global fleet of MRTTs.
Airbus has been leading the charge in autonomous flight operations, with the newly-automated refueling process the latest step in reducing manual control in aerial procedures. In December, an Airbus A350 XWB successfully took off without pilot input, using software integrated to onboard cameras.
Currently in use with the US Air Force, the KC-46 Pegasus is Boeing's newest jet but is also proving to be one of its most problematic. Boeing's Pegasus is nowhere near autonomous refueling, with the company needing to fix a key system before autonomy can be discussed, an Air Force official told DefenseNews.
air force refueling aircraft, helicopter refueling procedures