During MSPO 2014 in Kielce, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) promoted the MMTT (Multi Mission Tanker Transport) aircraft, which is a pre-owned Boeing B767 developed and converted by IAI's Bedek Group.
IAI’s B767 MMTT can be configured for a variety of configurations: Air Refueling, Cargo, VIP, Passengers/Troops Medevac and ISR systems as desired by the operator. A special cargo door and cargo pallet capabilities are built in. Passenger seats and consoles can be rapidly installed or removed.
IAI proudly announced that it has recently performed a successful test-flights of B767-300ER aircraft, equipped with an advanced Fly-by-Wire (FBW) boom system. The new added FBW boom capability is a part of IAI’s experience of converting tens of aircraft (B767, B707, C130, and Il-78) to tankers or multi mission tanker/transport (MMTT) platforms, for more than 12 customers worldwide, including Israel.
It was no surprise that IAI promoted the MMTT during MSPO 2014. Poland’s Ministry of National Defense (MoND) signaled on multiple occasions that the Polish Air Force (PoAF) wanted to procure strategic airlift capability aircraft along with an aerial refueling tanker aircraft. Acquiring such capabilities is an important step in the development of the PoAF, as it currently has in service smaller transport aircraft, such as the C-295M and M-28 BRYZA. Poland also uses ex-US old C-130E HERCULES aircrafts, which can accommodate up to 92 troops or 20t of cargo. Poland would like to procure two big MRTTs, which would be used for transporting cargo, troops and occasionally VIPs.
IAI is one of the major contenders in this project. Together with PHO (former Bumar) and LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services, it has offered a procurement and structural rebuild of used Boeing B767 passenger airplanes. Before that, PHO and LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services considered offering an Airbus A310. It was officially assumed that procured airplanes from a civilian market could not be older than 20 years.
It was announced recently that Poland received six offers including: the Airbus Military/Airbus Defense & Space (A330 MRTT); the Israel Aerospace Industries Limited Bedek Aviation Group, in cooperation with Wojskowe Zaklady Lotnicze Nr 2 from Bydgoszcz (B767 MRTT); and Boeing (B767A/KC-46). Other proposals were sent by Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT, Instytut Metali Nieżelaznych oddział w Poznaniu, and Megmar Logistic & Consulting. No details have been revealed at this time.
However, a decision to acquire tankers has not yet been made and it is uncertain if Poland will do that. Poland, along with Spain, Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands, is interested in joint procurement and using between eight and ten multi-role tankers/transports. On behalf of those states, the EDA (European Defence Agency) has sent a request for information to Airbus (A330MRTT) and Boeing (KC-46A). A contract may be signed in mid-2015. Joint aircrafts would be declared operationally ready in 2020.
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| (Photo: IAI) |
IAI’s B767 MMTT can be configured for a variety of configurations: Air Refueling, Cargo, VIP, Passengers/Troops Medevac and ISR systems as desired by the operator. A special cargo door and cargo pallet capabilities are built in. Passenger seats and consoles can be rapidly installed or removed.
IAI proudly announced that it has recently performed a successful test-flights of B767-300ER aircraft, equipped with an advanced Fly-by-Wire (FBW) boom system. The new added FBW boom capability is a part of IAI’s experience of converting tens of aircraft (B767, B707, C130, and Il-78) to tankers or multi mission tanker/transport (MMTT) platforms, for more than 12 customers worldwide, including Israel.
It was no surprise that IAI promoted the MMTT during MSPO 2014. Poland’s Ministry of National Defense (MoND) signaled on multiple occasions that the Polish Air Force (PoAF) wanted to procure strategic airlift capability aircraft along with an aerial refueling tanker aircraft. Acquiring such capabilities is an important step in the development of the PoAF, as it currently has in service smaller transport aircraft, such as the C-295M and M-28 BRYZA. Poland also uses ex-US old C-130E HERCULES aircrafts, which can accommodate up to 92 troops or 20t of cargo. Poland would like to procure two big MRTTs, which would be used for transporting cargo, troops and occasionally VIPs.
IAI is one of the major contenders in this project. Together with PHO (former Bumar) and LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services, it has offered a procurement and structural rebuild of used Boeing B767 passenger airplanes. Before that, PHO and LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services considered offering an Airbus A310. It was officially assumed that procured airplanes from a civilian market could not be older than 20 years.
It was announced recently that Poland received six offers including: the Airbus Military/Airbus Defense & Space (A330 MRTT); the Israel Aerospace Industries Limited Bedek Aviation Group, in cooperation with Wojskowe Zaklady Lotnicze Nr 2 from Bydgoszcz (B767 MRTT); and Boeing (B767A/KC-46). Other proposals were sent by Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT, Instytut Metali Nieżelaznych oddział w Poznaniu, and Megmar Logistic & Consulting. No details have been revealed at this time.
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| (Photo: Robert Czulda) |
However, a decision to acquire tankers has not yet been made and it is uncertain if Poland will do that. Poland, along with Spain, Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands, is interested in joint procurement and using between eight and ten multi-role tankers/transports. On behalf of those states, the EDA (European Defence Agency) has sent a request for information to Airbus (A330MRTT) and Boeing (KC-46A). A contract may be signed in mid-2015. Joint aircrafts would be declared operationally ready in 2020.
Robert Czulda