TRIOS to Maintain RAF Tristar Fleet

RAF Tristar refuelsUSN F/A-18Cs(click to view full) The RAF’s 9 Lockheed L-1011 Tristars serve as the high end of their tanker fleet, and are easily recognizable by their unique 3-engine profile. These aircraft once served with British Airways and Pan-Am; these days, they are operated by No 216 Squadron at Brize Norton. The RAF’s 2 Tristar K1s and 4 KC1s can carry a total fuel load of 139,700 kg, using only one of their 2 hosedrum refueling units at any given time. Notice the above picture of a RAF Tristar refueling only one of the F/A-18Cs from the USS Ronald Reagan [CVN 76], as the 2 fighters head over to Afghanistan. The KC1s also have cargo or passenger capacity, while the K1 can carry only passengers in addition to its refueling duties. An additional set of 3 RAF Tristar KC2/KC2As carry up to 266 passengers, and do not perform refueling tasks at all. The UK has signed the world’s largest military public/private partnership to date, in order to replace its 28 Tristars and VC10 jets with a fleet of 14 modern Airbus A330-200 MRTTs. These new FSTA tankers will begin entering full service in 2014. Meanwhile, the existing VC10 fleet […]