London, April 19 (IANS) Britain's largest military aircraft, which is nearly 60 metres long and has a wingspan of 60 metres, arrived in the country from Madrid to undergo intensive trials, media reports said.
This strategic tanker named Voyager will play the dual role of transport aircraft and an air to air tanker for the Royal Air Force (RAF). It can carry up to 290 troops.
The aircraft is expected to replace the long-serving VC-10 and Tristar following its intensive testing programme, Xinhua reported.
According to flightglobal.com, provider of aerospace news and data, the modified Airbus A330-200 landed at the defence ministry's test centre Monday, having been flown from Airbus Military's Getafe site near Madrid.
It is one of two aircraft to have been converted so far for the RAF under the 14-aircraft contract with the AirTanker consortium, it said.
Boscombe Down in Wiltshire in southern Britain will play host to two of the Voyager aircraft during an intensive programme of testing and trials, set to continue into 2012, according to Xinhua.
Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Peter Luff said: "The arrival of the first Voyager aircraft in the UK marks an important milestone in the process that will see the Royal Air Force equipped with the best available air-to-air refuelling capability."
"Recent events in Libya and the ongoing requirement for air-to-air refuelling over Afghanistan, clearly demonstrate the essential role that air-to-air refuelling plays in getting our aircraft to where they are needed," Luff said.
Air Vice Marshal Phil Osborn said: "As we have seen over the last few weeks, an effective tanker and transport force is an essential ingredient to this era of expeditionary warfare."
"Over the next few years Voyager will join the versatile A400M transport, C-17 strategic airlifter and well-proven Hercules transport aircraft to form an RAF fleet that can handle any task that comes its way in the future.
"I look forward to a successful trials programme that will keep the aircraft on track for delivery at the earliest opportunity," Xinhua quoted him as saying.