The fifth and final A330 to KC-30 MRTT tanker conversion nearing completion.(photo : Aus DoD)
Qantas
Defence Services is close to completing the conversion of Australia's fifth,
and final, Airbus Military A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT).
The aircraft
will be handed over to Airbus Military next week, with the European company to
install the aerial refuelling boom, says Qantas Aviation Services head Glenn
Brown. Qantas Defence Services is a unit of Qantas Aviation Services.
Industry
sources in Australia suggest the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will not
obtain a sixth A330 MRTT, which is designated the KC-30A in RAAF service.
Brown says
that it would be very difficult for Qantas Defence Services to re-start the
A330 MRTT conversion programme. Some contractors who worked on the programme
have already moved on to other work within the Qantas Group or at other
companies.
Such staff
changes will cause a degree of institutional knowledge related to A330 MRTT
conversions to be lost.
Moreover,
other team members who worked on the conversions will move to other work. Last
week, Qantas Airways said it would close its Boeing 737 maintenance operations
at Melbourne's Tullarmrine Airport, with this work moving to Brisbane.
Brown,
however, says that personnel who worked on the conversion programme have a
"bright future." Aside from supporting KC-30A maintenance repair and
overhaul work in Brisbane, staff previously involved in conversion work will
also help with 737 work.
Airbus
Military has previously said the fifth A330 MRTT would be delivered to the RAAF
in the third quarter of 2012.
Separately,
Brown said that Qantas Defence Services has submitted a proposal to the RAAF
for the conversion of four Lockheed Martin C-130H aircraft which could be
donated to Indonesia.
Brown says
"tripartite talks" are underway between Australia, Indonesia, and the
United States about these aircraft. Australia obtained the aircraft under the
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) mechanism, and needs US clearance for the
Indonesian transaction to take place.
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