Off the southern coast of Spain, Susana Carballo Cuesta looks out of the plane to see fighter jets gathering around her. When jets approach, they slow down.
“The jets appeared to float below us, less than 20 meters away. You could see the pilots in the cockpits.”
These are the words of Airbus' Chief Engineer on Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), and she is describing the experience of witnessing first-hand the aircraft's air-to-air refueling missions.
Susana and her team are always working to improve the MRTT, with a particular focus on improving the security of these important resupply features.
Thus, on June 20, 2018, when the MRTT completed the world's first automatic air-to-air (3AR) refueling with a large receiver aircraft, it marked a significant moment of progress, proving that these crucial operations could be made safer than ever before. Never.
“Two aircraft flying close enough to be coupled is always a risky maneuver. It involves a lot of stress for the operator”, explains Juan Cabrera García-Ochoa, chief engineer of the automatic refueling project. "Safer operations are always a key driver."
“We are trying to eliminate human error from resupply missions as it makes the process significantly safer”, adds Susana.
The 3AR system reduces the refueling boom operator's workload by automating the ing and refueling process. This not only improves safety, but also makes the process faster under operational conditions.
After successful trials, Airbus is now introducing the system on the current production A330 MRTT – the only new generation tanker transport in operation today.
In addition to refueling all types of receivers, the three-in-one aircraft is capable of carrying up to 300 people, or can be configured to accommodate up to 40 stretchers for medevac missions.
Source: Airbus Defense
