Following the Falklands War, six Avro Vulcan B Mk2s were converted for air-to-air refuelling as an interim solution prior to the delivery of VC10 and Tristar tanker aircraft that were due to replace the aging Victor tankers. This conversion consisted of the addition of a Hose Drum Unit (HDU) mounted in the tail cone, and three bomb-bay drum tanks. The K.2 variants served with 50 Squadron (RAF Waddington) from 1982 to 1984.
In 1973 nine Avro Vulcan B Mk2s were converted for Maritime Radar Reconnaissance (MRR). The MRR variants flew patrols around the coast of the UK, primarily operating at high level and using the radar to monitor shipping but also flying at low level for visual identification and inspection. They had a secondary role carrying out air sampling, flying through airbourne contamination following nuclear tests and using air sampling pods mounted under each wing to collect samples for analysis. The MRR variants served with 27 Squadron (RAF Scampton) from 1973 to 1982, at which point the Nimrod took over these duties.