So, if they are going to have a compartment for troops, wouldn’t it substantially reduce the tanker capacity of a plane? Not to mention the fact that it becomes a very rich target full of fuel and troops.
It’s supposed to be capable of doing both roles together, though that’s unlikely. Besides, its not in the class of dedicated troop carriers like the C-130, C-17 or IL-76.
And its most likely to have its own escort fighters while refuelling, so its not exactly a sitting duck.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/a330-mrtt.htm
Not really. At present the limitation is using the normal airliner tankage, which still gives 111 tonne capacity - close to the Il-78M, which has no dual use capability at all.
Fitting tanks in the underfloor cargo holds of the A330 MRTT would boost the fuel load while still leaving the main deck cargo/pax area clear. The aircraft would become weight limited before main deck fuel tanks were needed.
But the present fit gives an already big fuel load with max. multi-role versatility