Let’s talk about aerial tanker aircraft.
Australia, France, Spain, Canada, and Brazil are all users, or would be users of the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, together with several other countries.
But what makes these 5 countries unique to the other A330MRTT users is that they all use second-hand Airbus A330 airliners converted to A330MRTT tanker transport aircraft.
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| A RAAF KC-30 (A330 MRTT). Australia has 5 used A330s from Qantas converted to tankers. Photo credits to RAAF. |
In the case of Australia, France and Canada, their fleet of A330MRTT is a mix of new and used converted aircraft, while Spain and Brazil’s A330MRTT fleet are 100% second hand airliners converted to tankers.
Spain’s A330MRTT were former Iberia Airlines A330s that were made redundant during the COVID pandemic and sold to the Spanish Government, while Brazil’s A330MRTT were former A330-200 from Azul Brazilian Airlines, which were being retired as the airline procures newer Airbus A330-900 from Airbus.
Out of the 9 A330MRTTs ordered by Canada, 5 are second hand airlines converted by Airbus.
Meanwhile, 5 of Australia’s 7 A330MRTTs, designated as the KC-30A, were formerly from Qantas. Resibo below:
https://www.airforce.gov.au/about-us/history/our-journey/australian-government-signed-contract-convert-five-airbus-a330-airframes-raaf
A similar conversion works from second-hand airliners to tanker aircraft were made using Boeing 767 airliner platforms. Colombia, for example, uses second-hand Boeing 767s converted to aerial tankers by Israeli company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
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| A Boeing KC-46 Pegasus refuelling a F-35A Lightning II of the USAF. Photo credits to Boeing. |
So what’s our point here?
The Philippines’ Department of National Defense announced that any plans to procure multirole fighters must be supported by Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEWC) aircraft, as well as AERIAL REFUELLING TANKERS.
This is actually not new, as the Re-Horizon 3 phase’s acquisition program from 2024 has allocation for AT LEAST 2 tanker transport aircraft with a budget of Php19.743 billion (approx. US$346.3 million based on US$1=Php57 convertion rate).
The problem is, the budget is not enough for 2 proper brand new aerial tankers that are equipped with an Aerial Refuelling Boom System (ARBS), which is the standard refuelling system used for most American fighters like the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon (including the newer F-16 Block 70/72 Viper), as well as the KAI KF-21 Boramae,
Should the Philippine Air Force choose to purchase brand new F-16 Block 707/72 Viper or the KAI KF-21 Boramae, or receives second-hand F-16 Block 40 Fighting Falcons as part of US military assistance, it should acquire a tanker aircraft with an ARBS / flying boom capability.
At the moment, there are 2 models competing in the brand new market – the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus (which is based on the Boeing 767 platform) and the Airbus A330MRTT.
Both are priced BEYOND the budget allocated by the DND and PAF, with a brand new A330MRTT said to cost between US$200 million to US$300 million EACH. A brand new Boeing KC-46 Pegasus is also said to be near US$300 million EACH. Price of both Airbus and Boeing are still subject to what are included in the budget including Integrated Logistics Support, Spare parts, training, ground support systems, etc.
Both KC-46 Pegasus and A330MRTT also can carry extra refuelling systems for probe and drogue operations, which we will explain later and making them more versatile to support different types of aircraft.
Cheaper Alternatives?
A cheaper alternative will be the use of smaller propeller or jet driven transport aircraft that can use the probe and drogue system, which is the system compatible with the Saab JAS-39 Gripen, Eurofighter EF-2000, Dassault Rafale, HAL Tejas, and upgraded variants of the FA-50 Fighting Eagle (Block 70).
This includes the Lockheed Martin KC-130J-30 Super Hercules, Airbus A400M Atlas, and the Embraer KC-390 Millenium.
There are estimates that the KC-130J Super Hercules and Airbus A400M tankers might cost between US$150 million to US$200 million EACH, which may place the DND at a tight position. Meanwhile a brand new Embraer KC-390 is said to be between US$120 million to US$150 million, placing it just within the DND & PAF’s budget.
The KC-130J-30 Super Hercules benefits on the PAF's recent order for 3 brand new standard transport models, while both the A400M Altas and KC-390 Millenium are new for the PAF.
There are reports that the KC-390 is being proposed to have ARBS flying boom capability but it is still under development and at the moment it still uses probe and drogue system.
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| The KC-390 Millenium of the Brazilian Air Force. Photo cresits to Embraer. |
There will be no problems to use these cheaper alternatives if the PAF ultimately decides to get the Saab JAS-39 Gripen for its multirole fighter requirements.
But looking forward, it would become a problem if the PAF eventually acquires new or used F-16s, or the KAI KF-21 Boramae fighters, or even the F-35A Lightning II and used Mitsubishi F-2 Viper Zero from Japan, even if the PAaf already have the Gripens.
It will also become an interoperability problem for the PAF, since its primary allies and “quasi-allies” like US (specifically the US Air Force) Japan, and Australia use fighter aircraft that uses the ARBS / flying boom system. It means that the PAF cannot provide aerial refuelling to allied aircraft both during exercises and actual combat operations.
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| The KC-130J of the US Marine Corps. While US Marine and Naval aircraft can use probe and drogue sysrem, US Air Force fighters can't. Photo credits to USMC. |
Best Compromise?
So what could be the best compromise? Maybe the DND and PAF could instead look at a solution where it can have two tanker aircraft with both ARBS/flying boom and probe & drogue refuelling systems while still within its allocated budget.
And this is by considering the acquisition of used airliners converted by their original manufacturers to aerial tanker transport aircraft, with complete warranty and guarantee from their original manufacturers.
According to open sources, a converted A330MRTT may cost less than US$150 million each. You do the math.
Also since both the Airbus A330 and Boeing 767 are based on widely-used commercial airliners, supporting them won’t be difficult. The Philippines is home to some Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) facilities like Lufthansa Technik Philippines
https://www.lufthansa-technik.com/en/lufthansa-technik-philippines
Also, both jet airliner platforms are medium-haul aircraft with longer range and larger cargo space compared to the A400M, the KC-390 and the KC-130J. This will finally give the PAF a longer-ranged transport aircraft that can also support emergencies overseas like when bringing home OFWs from the Middle East, or deploying for exercises is far-flung areas like India, Australia, and Hawaii.
If richer countries like Canada, Australia, Spain and Brazil considered using second hand airlines, why not a cash-strapped country like the Philippines?
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