IOR is introducing the MTA-55 (the “HENTY”), a mobile aviation fuel tank that puts 55,000 litres of fuel wherever an operation needs it. Designed, built and patented by IOR, the MTA-55 is the first of its kind, carrying its own power, satellite connection and remote fuel management on board. It has been developed as a single solution for operators across emergency response, rescue, firefighting, flood relief, defence and on-airport supply. Engineered, manufactured, maintained and monitored onshore in Australia, the MTA-55 is built to adapt across the full range of demands aviation places on fuel supply. 

Deployment is deliberately simple. The MTA-55 travels by road, towed behind a prime mover and tanker, then filled on arrival and ready to dispense shortly after. As the operation continues, the tanker can return to replenish it, keeping supply in step with demand. With that volume on board and its own dispensing and fuel-quality equipment, it holds enough to sustain extended tasking rather than a single sortie. 

Much of this work takes place well away from sealed roads and reliable power. The MTA-55 is built for austere environments and littoral zones alike, from inland fire grounds to low-lying coastal areas isolated by weather, operating day and night without the need for mains connection. 

That capability rests on the technology on board. Fuel is managed through HyDip®, IOR’s proprietary system, which provides operators with live tank levels, remote control of dispensing and automatic alarms, so they know precisely what they are holding and can manage it from a distance. HyDip® depends on a connection to do this, and in the locations the MTA-55 is built for, mobile coverage is often unavailable. Satellite connectivity resolves that, keeping the unit online wherever it is positioned. Combined with onboard solar and battery power, the MTA-55 carries its own power and its own connection, which is what allows it to operate where conventional fuel supply cannot. 

The MTA-55’s uses extend beyond any single sector. The roles below are some of those it has already been designed for. 

Defence 

Defence aviation often operates well away from established bases, from austere airstrips and temporary locations where there is no fuel infrastructure to draw on. The MTA-55 can be deployed by road to these sites and dispense on arrival. It can also operate as a chase unit, relocating to follow aircraft as they move between locations, so fuel supply keeps pace with the operation rather than holding it to one place. 

Aeromedical 

Aeromedical and rescue crews regularly work from remote bases and staging points where fuel is limited or unavailable. Positioned close to where they are operating, the MTA-55 lets aircraft refuel without long transits to a fixed facility, supporting rescues and retrievals from first light and through the night. 

Airport continuity of service 

When an airport’s fuel infrastructure is being upgraded, repaired or replaced, the MTA-55 can stand in for the fixed installation so flights keep moving throughout the works. Its onboard dispensing and fuel-quality equipment means the airport can maintain supply without temporary infrastructure being built on site. 

Emergency services response

During bushfires, the MTA-55 can be positioned close to the fire ground to keep water bombers turning around quickly. As the fire front moves, it can operate as a chase unit, relocating to stay close to the aircraft and cut turnaround times. In floods, it can be positioned at an accessible airstrip to fuel the aircraft moving people and supplies into areas cut off by water. 

Behind the unit stands the same supply chain IOR has built over four decades: import and storage terminals, a national transport fleet, 39 aviation refuelling sites and extensive distribution Australia-wide. Every MTA-55 is backed by that national network, keeping fuel flowing to the unit for as long as the operation requires. 

Whatever the task, the MTA-55 is built to ensure fuel is never the factor that holds an aviation operation back. 

For more information, please contact David Samuel at [email protected].