UK tanker competition – FSTA

The decision about the VC10 & TriStar replacement (FSTA) is due before christmas.

“MOD is seeking a service rather than a specified number of aircraft. The number of aircraft needed to meet our service-based requirement may differ between aircraft solutions.”
“The estimated lifetime (27 years) cost of the FSTA programme is around £13 billion (Outturn Prices). It is scheduled to enter service progressively from 2008 with full service (AAR & AT) from 2012 on.”
“The UK Ministry of Defence is looking to rent ‘a capability’ rather than buy aircraft. Under the private finance initiative (PFI ) scheme, the winning contractor will actually own the aircraft and other assets needed to support the aircraft, such as flight simulators, and the ministry will ‘buy-in’ a set number of flight hours per year.”

UK MoD http://www.mod.uk/dpa/projects/fsta.htm
Airbus http://www.airtanker.co.uk
Boeing http://www.ttsc.co.uk

#A330-200
– 111tons max fuel offload
– 68tons fuel offload at 1000nm for 2 hours
– 2 and 3 hose versions
– no additional tanks needed, cabin and cargo hold capacity remain untouched
– the French pay 200mio Euro a piece over a 20 years lease

#B767-300ER
– 65tons max fuel offload
– boom and hose versions available
– no additional tanks needed, cabin and cargo hold capacity remain untouched
– dimensional compatible with Falkland Island hangers
– the original Boeing proposal to the USAF for the 100 KC-767A was 16.6bio USD for a six year lease (FY 2002 Defense Appropriations Act). The 767 lease initiative would cost of $20 million per plane per year under a 10-year lease arrangement. The cost of a 767 tanker is somewhere between $150 million and $225 million, depending on the number ordered and the nature of the modifications. Costs for used 767-300ER aircraft vary between $51M and $88M, depending on the age and condition of the aircraft.

A lease is significantly more expensive to the taxpayer than an outright purchase.

Which solution is “better”? Which one will be selected?

Note: The USAF tanker fleet delivered more than 375 million pounds of fuel during 30 days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, 90 percent of the total fuel delivered by all joint and coalition forces”