Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft

Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft
Royal Air Force Airbus A330-243 at Airbus factory of Getafe, Spain
General information
Project forAerial refuelling tanker aircraft
ServiceRoyal Air Force
History
OutcomeAirTanker Limited's consortium's Airbus A330 MRTT selected
PredecessorsVickers VC10,
Lockheed TriStar

Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) was the name given to a British project to procure a fleet of Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) aerial refuelling (AR) and air transport (AT) aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF), to replace their then existing older models such as the Vickers VC10s and Lockheed TriStars.

In 2004, after evaluating the two bids, the Royal Air Force selected the AirTanker consortium, owned by Cobham plc, EADS, Rolls-Royce plc, Thales UK and VT Group plc, who offered the Airbus A330 MRTT.