By Jun Ji-hye
The world's two major aircraft makers are seeking to win a contract to supply the Air Force with four in-flight refueling tankers.
The project to improve airborne operations of its fighters at a maximum cost of 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion) was finalized last November.
Boeing's KC-46 and Airbus Defence & Space's A330 MRTT are the potential candidates for the acquisition.
During a briefing session Thursday, Airbus stressed that its fully-developed and certified A330 MRTT was the most suitable aircraft for the Air Force.
"It will provide Korea with a full range of tanker and air transport services, including flying military personnel to and from Afghanistan and providing refueling support to fighters for the country's air defense," said Pablo Quesada, regional sales director in charge of Northeast Asia.
He presented three different roles that the A330 MRTT can perform in one single platform.
"It is capable of performing the transition from air-to-air refueling, to passenger and freight transport and to an aero medical evacuation mission with zero reconfiguration time and cost."
The plane can carry 111 tons of fuel without the need for additional fuel tanks, he said.
"The A330 MRTT's enormous fuel capacity improves the efficiency and effectiveness of fast jets operations," Quesada said.
He added, "The United States Air Force rated the A330 MRTT as the most effective tanker twice based on the capacity to offload more fuel at any given distance or for any time on station."
Days earlier, Boeing also held a meeting with a group of reporters to promote its KC-46A, saying it would be able to supply the model to South Korea from 2017.
James Eisenhart, director of business development for the KC-46 tanker program at Boeing Military Aircraft, told reporters that development of the KC-46 is on the schedule required by the U.S. Air Force.
He stressed that its price would be cheaper, as the company will mass produce the aircraft if Korea decides to buy it.
The government will accept proposal documents by the end of June and make a decision by the end of this year through operational tests and negotiations.
Since 1993, the Air Force has sought to deploy aerial tankers to refuel fighter jets, but the plan has been repeatedly shelved due to budget constraints and shifts in priorities.
Neighboring countries already operate aerial refueling aircraft.
China, which has 10 refueling tankers, recently imported eight more from Russia, while Japan's Air Self-Defense Force plans to augment its four KC-767Js with four more.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
The world's two major aircraft makers are seeking to win a contract to supply the Air Force with four in-flight refueling tankers.
The project to improve airborne operations of its fighters at a maximum cost of 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion) was finalized last November.
Boeing's KC-46 and Airbus Defence & Space's A330 MRTT are the potential candidates for the acquisition.
During a briefing session Thursday, Airbus stressed that its fully-developed and certified A330 MRTT was the most suitable aircraft for the Air Force.
"It will provide Korea with a full range of tanker and air transport services, including flying military personnel to and from Afghanistan and providing refueling support to fighters for the country's air defense," said Pablo Quesada, regional sales director in charge of Northeast Asia.
He presented three different roles that the A330 MRTT can perform in one single platform.
"It is capable of performing the transition from air-to-air refueling, to passenger and freight transport and to an aero medical evacuation mission with zero reconfiguration time and cost."
The plane can carry 111 tons of fuel without the need for additional fuel tanks, he said.
"The A330 MRTT's enormous fuel capacity improves the efficiency and effectiveness of fast jets operations," Quesada said.
He added, "The United States Air Force rated the A330 MRTT as the most effective tanker twice based on the capacity to offload more fuel at any given distance or for any time on station."
Days earlier, Boeing also held a meeting with a group of reporters to promote its KC-46A, saying it would be able to supply the model to South Korea from 2017.
James Eisenhart, director of business development for the KC-46 tanker program at Boeing Military Aircraft, told reporters that development of the KC-46 is on the schedule required by the U.S. Air Force.
He stressed that its price would be cheaper, as the company will mass produce the aircraft if Korea decides to buy it.
The government will accept proposal documents by the end of June and make a decision by the end of this year through operational tests and negotiations.
Since 1993, the Air Force has sought to deploy aerial tankers to refuel fighter jets, but the plan has been repeatedly shelved due to budget constraints and shifts in priorities.
Neighboring countries already operate aerial refueling aircraft.
China, which has 10 refueling tankers, recently imported eight more from Russia, while Japan's Air Self-Defense Force plans to augment its four KC-767Js with four more.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
