| As any aircraft is superseded, military conversions | | | | 60 of the French Air Force (Armee de 1'Air) out of |
| can significantly extend their useful lives. | | | | Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Both have 180 minutes |
| A number of air forces acquired the Airbus A310 as | | | | ETOPS (Extended Range Twin Operations) and are |
| VIP aircraft and troop and/or freight transports. The | | | | used primarily as VIP transports. The A310s were |
| only one to buy a brand new aircraft was the Royal | | | | bought from Royal Jordanian in November 1993. The |
| Thai Air Force, which took delivery of a | | | | Belgian Air Force obtained two secondhand |
| VIP-configured A310-300 for use by the Royal Flight | | | | A310-200s from Singapore Airlines in September 1997 |
| on 5 November 1991. The Canadian Forces boosted | | | | and April 1998, also for use as VIP transports. The |
| their strategic airlift capability with five ex-Wardair | | | | Pratt & Whitney-powered aircraft are operated |
| Canadian Airlines International A310s in 1992/93. | | | | by 21 Squadron on military and government transport |
| Redesignated CC-150 Polaris, the five aircraft were | | | | duties, as well as international relief flights. |
| delivered in a 194-seat passenger configuration, but | | | | Multi-role aircraft conversions. |
| four were subsequently converted by Sogerma in | | | | With the order book for the A310 diminishing and |
| Bordeaux to a passenger/cargo combi layout. This | | | | tailing off, Airbus Industrie is hoping that a more |
| required some 100,000 engineering and production | | | | determined incursion into the military market will |
| hours, which included a new main deck cargo door, | | | | provide a lifeline for the A310. Recognising that |
| fuselage and flooring reinforcement, a cargo loading | | | | reduced defence spending will demand future |
| system, and a removable bulkhead and smoke curtain | | | | multi-role aircraft, which are capable of simultaneously |
| to separate cargo and troops. The fifth aircraft | | | | carrying out air-to-air refuelling (AAR) and transport |
| remains in a VIP layout. All are operated by 437 | | | | operations, Airbus is offering the A310 in MRTT |
| Squadron at 8 Wing, Trenton, Ontario, and are used | | | | (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) configuration. With the |
| to re-supply Canadian Forces personnel across the | | | | KC-135 in particular nearing the end of its useful life, |
| world. | | | | the demand for replacement tankers will undoubtedly |
| Germany's Luftwaffe operates seven | | | | accelerate, and derivatives ofcurrent wide-body |
| CF6-80C2A2-powered A310-300s and is seeking to | | | | aircraft will offer a more cost-effective solution than |
| acquire two more, to bolster its long-range fleet in | | | | building a dedicated aircraft from scratch. In addition |
| the face of increasing logistics demands. The creation | | | | to offering greater refuelling capacity than earlier |
| of a rapid reaction force, a rise in humanitarian | | | | airliners, the A310 would also have an advantage in |
| operations, and the new tactical training unit in | | | | operating costs and longer airframe life. At a price |
| Mexico, are all making additional demands on its | | | | tag in the region of US $30m for a modified |
| resources. Two A310s replaced two Boeing 707s at | | | | second-hand machine, such an aircraft should prove |
| the end of 1999, and two of the existing A310s | | | | attractive to potential customers. Australia, Canada |
| were modified to tanker transports in 2003. The | | | | and Germany are all believed to be in the market for |
| Luftwaffe acquired its first three aircraft in May 1991 | | | | such an aircraft. Studies have indicated a potential |
| when the former East Germany carrier Interflug | | | | market for 100 military tanker/transport aircraft by |
| ceased operations, and further enlarged its fleet | | | | 2010, of which half are expected to be MRTTs. A |
| between November 1996 and November 1998 with | | | | demonstrator was produced by the conversion of a |
| four ex-Lufthansa machines. Five are operated in VIP | | | | former airline A310-300 (N816PA), which undertook |
| configuration, and two as passenger/cargo combi | | | | compatibility trials with Royal Air Force aircraft in |
| aircraft. | | | | 1995. No orders had been placed by September 1999. |
| Two A310-300s are flown by Transport Squadron 3 | | | | |