Airbus EC-50 LRCP

The **Airbus EC-50 Long Range Command Platform (LRCP)**, is a long duration command and control military aircraft operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The EC-50 series are specially modified Airbus A350-900ULRs that fulfil the requirements of the New Zealand Strategic Command and Recovery Expansion (NZSCRE) program. The EC-50 serves as a long-range mobile command post for the New Zealand Command Authority, as well as overseas disaster recovery operations. The two EC-50s are operated alongside the current fleet of E-5s by the 1st Airborne Strategic Command Squadron of the 1st Strategic Command Group located at Wigram Air Force Base, Christchurch.

## Development

Following the devastating 2010 Canterbury and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes the Royal New Zealand Air Force was looking for an airborne command aircraft that could provide a control centre for both military operations and disaster recovery around the world. The New Zealand Strategic Command and Recovery Expansion outlined the requirements for an aircraft capable of long-range flights without the need for stopovers or in-flight aerial refuelling. These requirements were fulfilled with the introduction of the A350 XWB by Airbus in 2015.

Two orders were place for the EC-50s in late 2015 with a third placed in late 2019. Two aircraft were delivered in 2017 with the third in production.

The total cost of the development program and aircraft production is estimated at around $1.145 billion. Approx. NZD$2.06 billion.

## Design

The EC-50 has a wide range of advanced communications antennas, multiple countermeasures, and airborne radar systems. The cockpit and other systems throughout the aircraft feature state-of-the-art digital displays. The aircraft is also hardened against a nuclear electromagnetic pulse. Although this feature was added as a precautionary measure rather than a necessity.

The EC-50 is capable of operating with 54 crew including flight operations and mission personnel. The aircraft is capable of in-flight aerial refuelling, this allows the EC-50 to stay airborne for up to a week in the event of an emergency. The longest endurance flight ever operated was 5 days 12 hours. It takes one KC-30 MRTT to fully refuel an EC-50, requiring just under the fuel load of the KC-30.

## Operators

 New Zealand

* Royal New Zealand Air Force
	+ 1st Strategic Command Group - RNZAF Base Wigram, Christchurch
		- 1st Airborne Strategic Command Squadron

## Specifications

**General characteristics**

* **Crew:** 4
* **Capacity:** up to 50 mission crew
* **Length:** 66.8 m (219.2 ft)
* **Wingspan:** 64.75 m (212.43 ft)
* **Height:** 7.05 m (55 ft 11 in)
* **Wing area:** 442 m2 (4,760 sq ft)
* **Empty weight:** 115,700 kg (255,075 lb)
* **Gross weight:** 250,000 kg (551,156 lb)
* **Max takeoff weight:** 300,000 kg (661,387 lb)
* **Powerplant:** 2 × Rolls Royce Trent XWB-97 turbofan engines, 431 kN (97,000 lbf) thrust each.

**Performance**

* **Maximum speed:** 513 kn (950 km/h, 590 mph) / M0.89
* **Cruise speed:** 488 kn (903 km/h, 561 mph) / M0.85
* **Range:** 9,700 nmi (18,000 km, 11185 mi)
* **Endurance:** 160+ hours (with refuelling)
* **Service ceiling:** 47,500 ft (14,478 m)