Canada unveils planned deadline to buy four Airbus tanker aircraft

VICTORIA, British Columbia — The Canadian government expects to award a contract next year to Airbus for four new strategic tanker transport aircraft, according to the country’s National Defence Department.

The cost of the contract is yet to be determined, but the government has allocated up to CA$5 billion (U.S. $4 billion) to purchase the planes.

Airbus was designated as the only supplier qualified to provide the tankers to the Royal Canadian Air Force. As a result, a formal request for its proposal for the planes was issued to the firm on May 13, 2022.

National Defence Department spokeswoman Jessica Lamirande said the government has not yet received the proposal.

“Once Airbus’ response is received, an assessment and negotiation will occur,” Lamirande said, noting that a contract is expected to be awarded by April 2023.

The Canadian Armed Forces found the Airbus A330 MRTT , a refueling and transport plane, is the only aircraft qualified for the job. The Air Force wants the first of the A330s operational by 2028.

The new aircraft are part of Canada’s Strategic Tanker Transport Capability project, meant to replace the existing CC-150 Polaris aircraft flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force. Those refueling and transport planes have been in operation since 1992.

A Canadian CC-150 Polaris prepares to provide air-to-air refueling to CF-18 Hornet fighters during exercise Vigilant Eagle in 2013. (Cpl. Vicky Lefrancois/DAirPA)

Originally six new aircraft were to be purchased as part of the Strategic Tanker Transport Capability project. But on July 14, Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand announced the military would acquire two used Airbus A330s and eventually upgrade those to become part of the Air Force’s tanker and transport fleet.

Canada acquired those used aircraft, built in 2015, from International Airfinance Corp., a global aircraft leasing company, in a deal worth about $102 million.

Lamirande said the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the commercial aviation industry created favorable market conditions to procure the used A330-200 aircraft at the best value for Canada. The government is scheduled to receive the aircraft in December 2022 and April 2023, and then ferry them to the country shortly after, she added.

“There are a number of predelivery and acceptance activities that need to be completed before any used aircraft will arrive in Canada” Lamirande said. Those include scheduled preventive maintenance, limited retrofit to prepare for service within the Air Force, painting of the aircraft, final delivery inspection and acceptance checks.

The used aircraft are currently configured for long-haul commercial use. They will initially be used for an interim period to perform cargo and troop airlift operations, said Lamirande. The planes could also be used to transport civilian passengers during humanitarian relief operations, as well as fly VIPs, such as Canada’s prime minister.

These used aircraft will, after an interim period of operations, be turned over to Airbus for conversion to the MRTT configuration as the other four new aircraft expected to be purchased.

David Pugliese is the Canada correspondent for Defense News.

加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省维多利亚市——据加拿大国防部称，加拿大政府预计明年将与空中客车公司签订合同，采购四架新的战略加油运输机。

合同金额尚未确定，但政府已拨款高达 50 亿加元（40 亿美元）用于购买这些飞机。

空客被指定为唯一有资格向加拿大皇家空军提供加油机的供应商。因此，加拿大皇家空军于2022年5月13日正式向该公司发出飞机方案征询书。

国防部发言人杰西卡·拉米兰德表示，政府尚未收到该提案。

拉米兰德表示：“一旦收到空客的回复，就会进行评估和谈判。”他指出，预计将在 2023 年 4 月之前授予合同。

加拿大武装部队发现，空客A330 MRTT（一款加油运输机）是唯一符合任务要求的机型。空军希望首架A330能在2028年投入使用。

这些新飞机是加拿大战略加油运输能力项目的一部分，旨在取代加拿大皇家空军目前使用的CC-150北极星飞机。这些加油运输机自1992年以来一直在服役。

2013年“警戒之鹰”演习期间，一架加拿大CC-150北极星空中加油机准备为CF-18“大黄蜂”战斗机提供空中加油。（下士维姬·勒弗朗索瓦/DAirPA）

最初，作为战略加油运输能力项目的一部分，计划采购六架新飞机。但7月14日，加拿大国防部长阿妮塔·阿南德宣布，军方将采购两架二手空客A330飞机，并最终对其进行升级，使其成为空军加油运输机队的一部分。

加拿大从全球飞机租赁公司 International Airfinance Corp. 收购了这些 2015 年制造的二手飞机，交易金额约为 1.02 亿美元。

拉米兰德表示，新冠疫情对商业航空业的影响为加拿大以最优价格采购二手A330-200飞机创造了有利的市场条件。她补充说，政府计划分别于2022年12月和2023年4月接收这些飞机，并在之后不久将其运抵加拿大。

拉米兰德表示：“任何二手飞机抵达加拿大之前，都需要完成一系列交付前和验收工作。” 这些工作包括定期预防性维护、为在空军服役而进行的有限改装、飞机喷漆、最终交付检查和验收。

拉米兰德表示，这些二手飞机目前配置用于远程商业用途。初期，它们将暂时用于执行货物和部队空运任务。这些飞机也可用于人道主义救援行动中运送平民乘客，以及运送加拿大总理等贵宾。

这些二手飞机在经过一段过渡运营期后，将移交给空客公司，改装成 MRTT 配置，就像预计购买的其他四架新飞机一样。

David Pugliese 是《国防新闻》的加拿大通讯员。