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| RAF's largest aircraft Voyager officially unveiled | RAF's largest aircraft Voyager officially unveiled |
| (2 days later) | |
| The RAF's largest aircraft has been officially unveiled and named Voyager ahead of its first public appearance at the Royal International Air Tattoo. | The RAF's largest aircraft has been officially unveiled and named Voyager ahead of its first public appearance at the Royal International Air Tattoo. |
| The dual role air-to-air tanker and transport plane has a 60-metre (197ft) wingspan and is nearly 60 metres long. | The dual role air-to-air tanker and transport plane has a 60-metre (197ft) wingspan and is nearly 60 metres long. |
| It can carry almost 300 troops more than 6,000 miles and will replace the long-serving VC-10 and Tristar. | It can carry almost 300 troops more than 6,000 miles and will replace the long-serving VC-10 and Tristar. |
| At a naming ceremony at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, Defence Secretary Liam Fox called it "magnificent". | At a naming ceremony at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, Defence Secretary Liam Fox called it "magnificent". |
| He said: "This magnificent aircraft is the future for the RAF's air-to-air refuelling and passenger transport capability for the coming decades. | He said: "This magnificent aircraft is the future for the RAF's air-to-air refuelling and passenger transport capability for the coming decades. |
| "Voyager, together with the C-17, C-130J and the A400M transport aircraft, will provide the RAF with a truly world class fleet of aircraft, underpinning the global reach that is vital to our operations." | "Voyager, together with the C-17, C-130J and the A400M transport aircraft, will provide the RAF with a truly world class fleet of aircraft, underpinning the global reach that is vital to our operations." |
| The RAF has bought 14 of the aircraft - a converted Airbus A330-200 airliner - under a 27-year private finance initiative contract worth £10.5bn with the AirTanker consortium. | The RAF has bought 14 of the aircraft - a converted Airbus A330-200 airliner - under a 27-year private finance initiative contract worth £10.5bn with the AirTanker consortium. |
| The service will provide training and maintenance, as well as new purpose-built buildings at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, the RAF's air transport hub. | The service will provide training and maintenance, as well as new purpose-built buildings at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, the RAF's air transport hub. |
| The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, said: "As we have seen in Afghanistan and Libya, an effective air-to-air refuelling and transport fleet is an essential force multiplier in this era of expeditionary warfare. | The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, said: "As we have seen in Afghanistan and Libya, an effective air-to-air refuelling and transport fleet is an essential force multiplier in this era of expeditionary warfare. |
| "Voyager, when it enters service later this year, will excel in these roles by not only increasing our air-to-air refuelling capability but also by substantially improving our strategic airlift capacity." | "Voyager, when it enters service later this year, will excel in these roles by not only increasing our air-to-air refuelling capability but also by substantially improving our strategic airlift capacity." |
| The Royal International Air Tattoo is the world's largest military air show and celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. |