The Spanish Air and Space Force has officially inducted its first Spain Airbus A330 MRTT into operational service with the 45th Wing, marking a major step in enhancing the country’s strategic air mobility and refueling capabilities. This is the first of three multi-role tanker and transport aircraft acquired by the Spanish Ministry of Defence in November 2021.
Stationed at Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base, Madrid, the Spain Airbus A330 MRTT was delivered from Airbus’s Getafe facility, home to the aircraft’s conversion center. The platform is expected to significantly strengthen Spain’s operational readiness, strategic autonomy, and NATO interoperability.
“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,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space. “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 hose-and-basket refueling system, the Spain Airbus A330 MRTT boasts an endurance of over 18 flight hours and a range of 16,000 kilometers. Its basic fuel load of 111 tonnes enables extensive air-to-air refueling missions without the need for additional fuel tanks.
As a wide-body platform, the Spain Airbus A330 MRTT can also serve as a strategic airlifter, capable of transporting up to 300 troops or 45 tonnes of cargo. It can be reconfigured for medical evacuation missions using a dedicated MEDEVAC kit, allowing installation of stretcher modules and intensive care units.
The second and third Spain Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft are currently undergoing conversion in Getafe. Before conversion, these aircraft were already utilized for transporting personnel and equipment during missions such as the Pacific Skies 2024 exercise and the evacuation of Spanish nationals from Niger and Sudan.
The induction of the Spain Airbus A330 MRTT reinforces Spain’s commitment to enhancing its defense capabilities and contributing to multinational operations across the globe.
