Executive transport for heads of state provides a means of safe and secure travel. It can also serve as an ambassador in its own right on state visits. To show support and national pride, countries prefer to operate domestic executive transports. The VC-25s that serve as Air Force One were made by Boeing while Russia’s Il-96 presidential transport aircraft were manufactured by Voronezh. Naturally, the British Royal Air Force operates a modified Airbus A330 for executive transport.
Britain provides the Rolls-Royce engines as well as the wings for the A330. The civilian airliner serves as the base aircraft for the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport. Also operated by the air forces of Australia, France, Saudia Arabia, and Singapore, the A330 MRTT can transport passengers, patients, cargo, and fuel for aerial refueling. 14 MRTTs, owned by AirTanker Holdings Limited, are operated under lease by the British RAF; in RAF service, the aircraft has the Voyager KC2 or KC3. Voyager KC3 with registration ZZ336 serves as the primary air transport for the British royal family, prime minister, and other government ministers.
In 2016, ZZ336 was converted for a VIP transport mission with 58 business class-type seats in the front cabin, 100 premium economy-type seats in the rear cabin, media facilities, missile detection capability, and a secure satellite communication system. However, the aircraft retained its low-visibility, matte-gray military paint scheme. It was not until 2020 that the aircraft received its gloss-white and Union Flag livery and was named Vespina. However, Vespina is not used by the RAF in the aircraft logbook, as a callsign, or flight number; the A330 MRTT operates as ZZ336.
Based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, Vespina is flown by No. 10 Squadron RAF which operates the main fleet of Voyagers. On VIP missions, Vespina is typically flies with a crew of 13: a pilot, co-pilot, nine flight attendants, and two pursers. Interestingly, Vespina still retains its aerial refueling capability. The aircraft has a total fuel load of 244,000 pounds and can dispense 110,231 pounds to receiver aircraft through its two under-wing hoses and refueling pods or its centerline Fuselage Refueling Unit.
In December 2022, Vespina deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar to support the FIFA World Cup with air-to-air refueling and aerial security sorties. Vespina sometimes flies as the lead aircraft in formation with the RAF Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows; this role was previously filled by a British Airways Concorde. During the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, Vespina conducted a flypast (flyover) of London.