An Optimized and Proven Design
The KC-30 was born to be a tanker. It is based on the highly successful A330 airliner, and fully benefits from the latest advances in commercial aircraft design - including advanced aerodynamics, low-weight composite materials, a modern cockpit and fly-by-wire controls.
In today's highly competitive air transport industry, the success of a commercial airliner depends on two key factors: performance and economics.
The twin-engine A330 has become the unquestioned market leader in its category, thanks to the aircraft's optimized size, excellent payload capacity, superior flight characteristics and low operating costs.
With more than 880 orders from leading carriers around the world - including Northwest Airlines and US Airways - the A330 airliner family has consistently outsold its competitor. More than 517 A330s are in revenue service with operators today. The growing order backlog for the A330 and its four-engine A340 counterpart ensures sustained production of these aircraft for years to come, and guarantees a ready supply of competitively-priced spare parts.
The nearly 700 A330s and A340s flying today are backed by an international support network that responds to the needs of the world's most demanding operators.
For its tanker role, the KC-30 combines the proven A330/A340 airframe with a highly capable in-flight refueling system and large cabin volume for cargo, passengers and additional mission equipment. As a result, the KC-30 is a low-risk solution for the U.S. Air Force. The KC-30 Tanker variant has been ordered by Australia, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
