KC-45 SEGUN NORTHROP

Deploying When and Where Necessary.

An aerial tanker's effectiveness depends on its ability to deploy rapidly and operate from airfields around the world.
The KC-45's excellent performance and superior reliability - validated during millions of flight hours logged by the A330 civilian airliner counterpart - make it the optimal choice for the U.S. Air Force's next-generation tanker aircraft.
Tanker-specific systems for the KC-45 are designed with the same high reliability as the proven off-the-shelf avionics and hardware on the A330. For example, the tanker's advanced flying boom incorporates substantial built-in test equipment, an automatic pre-flight check function and redundant actuation systems and power supply.
The KC-45's size, greater fuel off-load capability and increased range also are key operational advantages, as fewer tankers are required to support critical refueling missions.
In addition, the ability to perform refueling missions over longer ranges allows KC-45s to stage from more distant support bases, thereby freeing up limited airfield ramp space near the combat area. KC-45 deployments also will benefit from the existing infrastructure at civilian airports worldwide that supports more than 570 A330s now in service or on order by commercial airlines.
The KC-45's superior performance characteristics ensure the tanker will be able to deploy from the largest number of airfields and airports possible. The aircraft's excellent takeoff performance allows it to depart from a 7,000-ft. runway fully loaded.
The KC-45's standard ground turning radius enables the tanker to operate from hundreds of airfields around the world - including all of the runways utilized by tankers during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Operational Flexibility

The KC-45 offers unmatched performance by carrying more fuel, offering superior fuel off-load rates and guaranteeing flexibility though multi-point refueling with a mix of boom, hose and drogue, and hose drum systems.
State-of-the-art multipoint refueling allows the KC-45 to service more aircraft per mission, thereby reducing or eliminating queues of waiting aircraft, and lowering fuel-related mission abort rates.
The KC-45's two underwing pods, along with its centerline hose & drogue unit, allow probe-equipped receiver aircraft from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and allied forces to be refueled.
The optimized widebody fuselage cross-section and large internal volume greatly increase the KC-45's efficiency for cargo and airlift missions, and give it the ability to self-deploy troops and equipment from the continental United States to overseas theaters.
The KC-45 can directly support a fighter squadron's deployment by carrying its operational personnel and equipment while also performing refueling escort for the squadron's aircraft to an overseas base. This allows the fighter squadron to deploy as a unit, then quickly ramp up to a combat-level sortie rate after arrival - a key capability when force must rapidly be brought to bear without a sustained buildup.
In addition, the KC-45 is perfectly suited to undertake additional missions for current and future U.S. Air Force requirements. The large cabin provides volume for additional mission equipment, and the onboard power system can accommodate add-on loads such as Scalable, Multifunction, Automated Relay Terminals (SMART). Northrop Grumman performed pioneering development for the Air Force on ROBE (Roll-on Beyond Line-of-sight Enhancement) and SMART tankers.
The KC-45 can carry up to 226 passengers/troops on the main deck, with additional volume for accompanying gear and material in lower deck cargo bays.
As many as 26 463L pallets can be accommodated on the KC-45's main deck, with loading/unloading facilitated through the 141-in. X 100.6-in cargo door. An additional 6 pallets can be carried in the lower deck.
As a Total Air Mobility solution for the Air Force, the KC-45 has the volume and power margins to support add-on C2ISR (Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) systems.
The KC-45's true widebody fuselage cross-section accommodates intensive care systems and approximately 120 litters in medevac applications. A typical mixed configuration would combine 70 litters with six intensive care units and 113 passengers/medical staff on the main deck.

The KC-45 Tanker: Overview

Northrop Grumman is leading a world-class industry team to deliver a total air mobility solution for the U.S. Air Force's next-generation tanker requirement.
The KC-45 Tanker Aircraft is a derivative of the multi-role tanker that already has been selected for service in the air forces of Australia, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In addition to being an exceptional aerial refueling platform, the KC-45 also offers full operational flexibility for cargo, passengers and aeromedical evacuation - providing a cost-effective response for the Department of Defense and American taxpayers.
Equipped with a centerline flying boom - along with two underwing hose and drogue pods, plus a fuselage hose and drogue refueling unit - the KC-45 can refuel multiple aircraft simultaneously, and is interoperable with U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and allied aircraft on the same mission without downtime for ground reconfiguration.
The KC-45 is derived from the A330 widebody twin-engine passenger jet, which has earned its reputation as the commercial airliner of choice for leading carriers worldwide.
Characteristics that make the A330 a bestseller in its category also provide exceptional operational capabilities and superior performance for the KC-45 as a next-generation military tanker. These include: a large existing fuel capacity in the wings; an advanced digital cockpit with fly-by-wire controls for excellent handling qualities and low crew workload; a fuselage cross-section maximized for both passenger and cargo payloads and underfloor holds that are sized to accommodate NATO standard 463L pallets, bulk cargo and side-by-side LD-3 containers.
As a derivative of a modern commercial jetliner early in its operational prime, the KC-45's advantages also include low life cycle costs, continued manufacturer upgrades and improvements, and a guaranteed supply of spare parts for decades to come.
To ensure the Air Force maintains the aerial refueling capability necessary to support America's global warfighting needs, all possible options should be considered for modernizing its tanker fleet.
In four consecutive international competitions, the KC-45 family of advanced tankers been selected by NATO and allied nations as the optimal solution for meeting next-generation military tanker requirements.
Australia is acquiring five A330 MRTTs (Multi-Role Tanker Transports), the first of which has begun flight testing prior to its 2008 delivery to the Royal Australian Air Force, followed by a 2009 entry into operational service. The A330 MRTT also has been chosen by Saudi Arabia and the United Emirates, both of which have announced plans to acquire three aircraft each. As with Australia, the A330 MRTTs for these two countries will be equipped with the advanced fly-by-wire Aerial Refueling Boom (ARBS) and digital underwing hose & drogue refueling pods – the same configuration for Northrop Grumman’s KC-45 Tanker proposed to the U.S. Air Force.
In the United Kingdom, the AirTanker industry group and its A330-200 tanker/transport solution were selected for the country’s Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft requirement. A 14-aircraft fleet will be owned and supported by AirTanker, and made available for air-to-air refueling with hoses and drogues, as well as for air transport duties.
In America, an open and competitive selection process for the next generation U.S. Air Force tanker will produce the optimal aircraft system at a price point that creates best value for the Department of Defense, the services, coalition forces and the American taxpayer. The KC-45 Tanker has consistently demonstrated its success as a world-class refueling platform in competitive selection processes.
The KC-45 industrial team is committed to delivering an American military aircraft program, with tanker assembly and production taking place in Mobile, Alabama, and 58 percent of the aircraft, subsystems and support being provided by hundreds of American partners and suppliers. The KC-45 program will result in the in-sourcing of thousands of U.S aerospace jobs.

http://www.northropgrumman.com/kc45/media_center/data/KC30_QuadFold.pdf