The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has expanded its aerial refuelling capabilities by placing an order for two additional Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft.
These new additions, scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029, will bring the total number of aircraft in the multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) to 12.
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The Airbus A330 MRTT features air-to-air refuelling, strategic airlift, and medical evacuation capabilities. It can also support extended missions vital for NATO operations.
The wide-body aircraft has fuel capacity of up to 111 tonnes (t) and can transport up to 300 troops or a payload of up to 45t.
Furthermore, it can be equipped with a Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) kit, featuring stretcher stations and intensive-care units for emergency medical scenarios.
The A330 MRTT has more than 325,000 operational hours as a strategic tanker and is claimed to be the first tanker in the world certified for automatic boom air-to-air refuelling (A3R).
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By GlobalDataOutside the US, the aircraft controls 90% of the new-generation tanker market, with 84 orders from 17 customers worldwide.
NATO’s fleet expansion coincides with Sweden and Denmark joining the MMF programme.
These countries join existing members including the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway and Germany, plus Belgium, and the Czech Republic.
The programme provides members nations with exclusive right to operate the NATO-owned aircraft through a pooling arrangement.
Airbus Defence and Space air power head Jean-Brice Dumont said: “The expansion of the Multinational MRTT Fleet with two additional aircraft and the addition of Sweden and Denmark to the programme underscores Europe’s commitment to collective defence and strategic autonomy.
“Airbus is proud to contribute to this effort by delivering state-of-the-art A330 MRTTs produced and converted in our Toulouse and Getafe facilities. This collaboration exemplifies how European industry can respond effectively to evolving security challenges through innovation and cooperation.”
Recently, Airbus confirmed the development of a second iteration of the A330 MRTT aircraft, which Jean-Brice Dumont, dubbed ‘MRTT+’ during a briefing at the Paris Air Show on 17 June 2025.
