Preparing for the Future
As a large and capable tanker aircraft, the KC-30 has the built-in flexibility to accommodate the U.S. warfighter's current and future mission requirements.
Digital fly-by-wire controls guarantee precision flying at a wide range of airspeeds and altitudes - an important factor in handling special operations aircraft, and vital for the future in-flight refueling of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The KC-30's substantial fuel capacity and high fuel offload rates make it well suited to handle even very large receiver aircraft - including the Air Force's C-5 and C-17 airlifters, which increasingly rely on aerial refueling for their deployment to staging areas near the battlefield.
A large cabin and abundant onboard power supply also make the KC-30 an optimal platform for ancillary missions, as required.
Aircraft commonality with the popular A330 commercial airliner - from which the KC-30 is derived - will provide important long-term benefits, including lower life cycle and operational costs, continued upgrades and improvements from the manufacturer, and an abundant supply of spare parts for many years to come.
The KC-30's significant cargo and passenger capacity offer exceptional value for the U.S. military, further bolstering America's airlift force. Its ability to carry more cargo pallets than the C-17 - or airlift hundreds of troops into austere, forward bases - opens up new ways of thinking about tankers and mobility.
