Spanish Air and Space Force Boosts Strategic Capabilities with First Airbus A330 MRTT in Service

Spanish Air and Space Force Boosts Strategic Capabilities with First Airbus A330 MRTT in Service

(IN BRIEF) The Spanish Air and Space Force has introduced its first Airbus A330 MRTT into service with the 45th Wing, marking a significant advancement in its aerial refuelling and transport capabilities. Delivered from Airbus’s Getafe-based conversion center, this modern multi-mission tanker and transport aircraft operates from Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base in Madrid. With a state-of-the-art hose-and-basket refuelling system, the A330 MRTT offers an endurance of over 18 flight hours and a range of 16,000 kilometers, making it highly efficient for strategic missions. Its robust design allows it to serve multiple roles, from aerial refuelling with a basic fuel load of 111 tonnes to transporting up to 300 troops or a payload of 45 tonnes, and even conducting medical evacuation operations with a MEDEVAC configuration. This aircraft is the first of three ordered by the Spanish Ministry of Defence, with the remaining two currently in conversion. The 45th Wing has already leveraged similar unconverted A330s in critical missions, underlining the importance of the new capability in enhancing Spain’s operational readiness, interoperability, and strategic autonomy.

(PRESS RELEASE) GETAFE, 13-Apr-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The Spanish Air and Space Force has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport), which is now in service with the 45th Wing. This aircraft is the first of three multi-mission tanker and transport planes acquired by the Spanish Ministry of Defence in November 2021. Operating from Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base in Madrid, the A330 MRTT was delivered from Airbus’s conversion center in Getafe, Madrid.

Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space, stated, “With the entry into service of this first A330 MRTT, the Spanish Air and Space Force now has the world’s best tanker aircraft in its fleet. The MRTT will not only provide interoperability with allied nations and strategic autonomy, but will also significantly increase projection, aerial evacuation, and in-flight refuelling capabilities.”

Equipped with a state-of-the-art hose-and-basket refuelling system, the aircraft can fly for more than 18 hours and covers a range of 16,000 kilometers. Its large basic fuel load capacity of 111 tonnes allows it to perform aerial refuelling missions efficiently without the need for extra fuel tanks. Additionally, the wide-body fuselage permits versatility in operations: it can transport up to 300 troops, carry a payload of up to 45 tonnes (99,000 lb), or be configured as a Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) platform with dedicated stretcher modules and intensive-care facilities.

The second and third A330 MRTTs for Spain are currently undergoing conversion at the Getafe facility. In the interim, the 45th Wing has utilized unconverted A330s in various missions, including the Pacific Skies exercise in 2024 and the evacuation of Spanish nationals from Niger and Sudan.

Media Contact:

Jose Gascó
AIRBUS | Defence and Space
Phone: +34 6 92 87 02 24
jose.gasco@airbus.com

SOURCE: AIRBUS