With Automatic Air-to-Refueling, the Boom Flight Control System becomes fully automated and autonomously makes contact with the receiver, reducing the tanker’s crew workload.
The Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) achieved a new milestone, when an RSAF (Republic of Singapore Air Force) aircraft completed an A3R (Automatic Air-to-Air Refueling) in night-time between May and June this year. Airbus mentions this was a key step towards the certification of the system in 2025.
The company said that the RSAF A330 MRTT, equipped with the latest A3R system configuration, conducted ten flights with Portuguese F-16s, Singapore F-16s and F-15SGs fighters and another Singapore MRTT as receivers. The groundwork for the A3R capability had been laid in Feb. 2020, when Airbus and the RASF announced a collaboration to certify the technology.
A series of extensive tests were then conducted in 2022 and 2023 on RSAF aircraft, before the system was put to use in its entirety in the latest refueling. The SMART MRTT programme, as it has been called, will not only develop, certify and implement A3R capability, but also enhanced maintenance solutions for the A330 MRTT.
The Airbus #A330MRTT has achieved a world first…
Source theaviationist.com
Ad Amazon : Books UFO
Ad Amazon : Binoculars
Ad Amazon : Telescopes