Project | Explanation |
Background | Government gave the equivalent of second pass approval in May 2003 for a new generation air-to-air refuelling capability. An open Request for Tender was released in June 2003 for both the Acquisition and Through Life Support Contracts. In April 2004, Government announced that the Military Transport Aircraft Division of the European Aeronautic and Space Company Construcciones Aeronauticas S.A. (EADS CASA), teamed with Qantas Defence Services, had been selected as the preferred tenderer for the supply of five Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft and their associated support. The Acquisition Contract was signed with Spanish company EADS CASA in December 2004. The Through Life Support Contract was signed with Qantas Airways Limited in February 2007. In April 2009, the Military Transport Aircraft Division of EADS was amalgamated with the Airbus Military Division, and commenced trading as Airbus Military. The A330 MRTT is based on the Airbus A330-200 medium/long-range twin aisle commercial aircraft. The first (prototype) aircraft is modified and tested by Airbus Military in Madrid, Spain. The remaining four aircraft are modified by Qantas, under subcontract to Airbus Military, at the Australian Conversion Centre, located at Brisbane Airport, Australia. A Contract Change Proposal (CCP) was signed in March 2006 for the procurement of a Full Flight Mission Simulator, Integrated Procedures Trainer and a Simulator Training Facility. A CCP was signed in December 2006 for changes to the cockpit layout to accommodate redesign of the refuelling operator console and associated changes to the cockpit access door and forward lavatory. Implementation of these changes on the first aircraft required the conversion and test activities to be divided into two phases: • Phase 1 involves the structural modification of the aircraft, including installation of boom and pods for civil certification. • Phase 2 involves the installation of the military systems, installation of the refueling operator console and completion of cabin modifications for full military certification and qualification of the modified aircraft. |
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Uniqueness | Air 5402 is the lead customer of the A330 MRTT platform, including the lead customer for the Airbus Military developed Aerial Refuelling Boom System. Whilst Airbus Military has previously developed and delivered underwing pod equipped A310 MRTT aircraft to the German and Canadian Air Forces, the A330 MRTT is a significantly more complex developmental effort to design, build and test the first of type, highly integrated military mission and refuelling systems. In parallel, Airbus Military is required to develop the publications, training devices and training material to support introductory training of aircrew and maintenance staff and for transition to the Through Life Support Contractors for ongoing support of the new tanker capability. |
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Major | Airbus Military 's ability to meet the contracted schedule milestones continues to be the greatest challenge due to an underestimation of the overall scope and complexity of work and system improvements introduced during the development. Delays experienced with the aircraft development and test have impacted the associated design, development and verification of the Support System; particularly, in the areas of training and publications. In addition, Airbus Military has been challenged by: the completion of the military certification test program to the satisfaction of the Spanish Military airworthiness authority; and testing to demonstrate compliance against the Defence specification, in particular, the first of type military, refuelling and support systems for subsequent customer acceptance. Other challenges expected during the next reporting period include: the successful removal from the first A330 MRTT of the very complex and highly intrusive flight test instrumentation package, used only during development and testing, and its subsequent retrofit and refurbishment to operational fleet status; completion of conversion of the fourth aircraft and commencement of conversion of the fifth, and final, aircraft at the Australian Conversion Centre for customer acceptance; rectification of fuel system and avionics non-compliances through software and hardware modifications; and design, development and test of improvements necessary to achieve a full operational capability of the boom refuelling system. |
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Other Current | N/A |