Game for Honeymoon onboard an Air Force Refuel Tanker

[Vodkeith]

Don't worry darling, it's only a refueling plane

Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:28am EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - It may be the biggest honeymoon secret ever -- from 2011, newlyweds can start their dream trip on a Royal Air Force mid-air refueling plane, and the chances are they will be blissfully unaware of their luck.

 

Britain's military is leasing a fleet of aerial tankers from a private consortium led by Airbus parent EADS in a landmark outsourcing deal to be unveiled on Thursday.

 

The converted A330 passenger jets can carry 60 tonnes of fuel to refuel up to four fighters far away from base or else serve as transporters carrying 300 troops and their equipment.

 

Officials involved in the project say some of the jets will also double as charter planes for tourists to earn their keep whenever they are not needed to serve the front line.

 

Because new jetliners are more efficient than the decades-old VC-10s and Tristars they replace, there will be enough space for fuel for refueling in the aircraft's main tanks as well as a fully fitted cabin interior for passengers.

 

With a plain livery, most passengers should be unaware their ordinary looking charter jet may have seen action over Afghanistan or Iraq on -- hopefully -- separate missions.

 

The long-range, wide-body A330-200 model on which the tankers are based has a maximum range of 12,500 km or 6750 nautical miles, according to Toulouse-based Airbus.

 

With one of its ordinary airline users, it flies daily from France to holiday and honeymoon destinations in the Caribbean.

 

(Reporting by Tim Hepher, editing by Paul Casciato)