On July 25, 2023, the Government of Canada signed a contract with the Airbus Group worth about 2.1 billion euros for the purchase of nine multi-purpose Airbus A330 MRTT tanker transport aircraft, of which four will be new-built A330 MRTT aircraft, and five more will be converted from used A330-200 aircraft from the civilian market. Delivery of the first A330 MRTT aircraft to the Canadian Air Force is scheduled for 2027. In the Canadian Air Force, these aircraft will receive the official designation CC-330 Husky.
Image of the Airbus A330 MRTT tanker aircraft (CC-330 Husky) in the Canadian Air Force (c) Airbus paint
Recall that in April 2021, the Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft was selected as the winner in a long-drawn-out tender by the Canadian Air Force under the Strategic Tanker Transport Capability (STTC) program, which provides for the replacement of five modified Airbus A310-300 aircraft operated since the early 1990s (Canadian military designation SS-150 Polaris). Of the five SS-150 aircraft in service with the 437th Transport Squadron of the Canadian Air Force at Trenton Air Base (Ontario), two aircraft are used as SS-150T refueling aircraft (were converted in 2008), two as cargo, and one as a government VVIP-board.
In July 2022, the Canadian Ministry of Defense signed a contract worth $ 102 million for the purchase from the international leasing company International AirFinance Corporation of the first two Airbus A330-200 passenger aircraft built in 2015 for their subsequent conversion into Airbus A330 MRTT tanker aircraft for the Canadian Air Force. They are due to enter the Canadian Air Force in early 2023 and will initially be used in the transport and passenger version, but then they will be converted by the Airbus group into the A330 MRTT variant under a separate contract concluded now.
In total, under the STTC program, Canada initially planned to purchase six aircraft to replace the SS-150, with the complete decommissioning of the SS-150 by the end of 2028. However, as a result, the contract has now been signed for nine Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft, including four newly built and five converted from used A330-200 civilian airliners. One of these A330-200 aircraft is to be converted into a government VVIP-board.
Under the terms of the contract, Canadian MRTT A330 tankers will be equipped with two wing hose and one fuselage rod fuel transfer systems, and will be equipped with an on-board defense system. The delivery package will also include Airbus Medical Evacuation Kit medical containers for the rapid conversion of aircraft for medical evacuation tasks.
The Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft also took part in the formal tender under the STTC program, but later Boeing itself withdrew from the competition due to the non-compliance of the KS-46A with the requirements of the Canadian Air Force (primarily in terms of cargo and passenger transportation capabilities). Therefore, the choice of the Airbus A330 MRTT was actually made on an uncontested basis.
Canada has become the twelfth customer of Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft. Taking into account the Canadian order, 76 Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft have been ordered to date (excluding the Canadian aircraft in the VVIP version), including 56 aircraft delivered.
Image of the Airbus A330 MRTT tanker aircraft for the Canadian Air Force (c) Airbus
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