What is the Strategic Transport & Air-to-Air Refuelling (STAAR) Team?

The Strategic Transport and Air-to-Air Refuelling (STAAR) Project Team, part of the Air Support Operating Centre, also known as the Voyager Project Team, is responsible for the Voyager aircraft
programme.

Voyager is one of MOD’s Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects through a 27-year PFI service contract with AirTanker (shareholders: EADS, Rolls-Royce (RR), Thales, Cobham and Babcock Group) for the provision of an advanced air-to-air refuelling (AAR) and passenger air transport (AT) capability
for the RAF.

AirTanker are providing a fleet of 14 new aircraft based on the Airbus A33-200 – powered by Rolls-Royce Trent engines.

The Voyager contract also includes the provision of all necessary infrastructure at RAF Brize Norton, including a state-of-the-art two-bay hangar, training facilities, maintenance, flight operations, fleet management and ground service to enable worldwide AAR and AT missions.

The AT service commenced in May 2012 (with one aircraft available), and full peacetime AAR capability was achieved in May 2014, with the full capability of a fleet of 14 aircraft available by September 2016.