The Canadian Government announced Airbus as the sole qualifier for the Strategic Tanker Transport Capability (STTC) program, which aims to select a replacement for the CC-150 Polaris (A310 MRTT) of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
After the launch of the ITQ (invitation to qualify) in February, Canada identified the Airbus A330 MRTT as the only one qualified for the selection process, negating Boeing's initial proposal with the KC-46 Pegasus.
Based on the 767, the KC-46 replaces the US Air Force's KC-135 Stratotanker. However, the new USAF tanker has been facing a series of problems, bringing billionaire losses to the Seattle manufacturer.
In the third quarter of 2021, the Government of Canada is expected to issue an initial request for proposal (RFP).
“The STTC program aims to replace the RCAF's fleet of CC-150 Polaris tanks with a multirole aircraft capable of performing a wide range of missions, including NATO and NORAD operations, ranging from aerial refueling to strategic transport for the Government of Canada. and aeromedical evacuation says Airbus in a statement issued last Thursday (01).
The A330 MRTT is in service with several nations including , Australia, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Earlier this year, President Jair Bolsonaro even announced, live, the acquisition of two units of the model for the Brazilian Air Force, which ended up not materializing later.
The FAB continues to look for other ways to acquire the Airbus multipurpose tanker.
Despite the defeat in the tanker program, Boeing is still a strong competitor for the RCAF CF-188A/B Hornet replacement project. The American participates with the fighters F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block III, competing against Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II and the Swedish Saab Gripen.
With Flightglobal
