Poland seeks four Spanish-built Airbus A330 MRTTs, with deliveries planned before 2030 - Automotive

Polish General Ireneusz Nowak says Spain’s cooperation secured production slots for four Airbus A330 MRTT tanker aircraft, potentially allowing deliveries before 2030. Built in Seville, the aircraft can refuel fighters in flight while also carrying personnel, cargo and medical evacuation equipment.

Poland plans to acquire four Airbus A330 MRTT tanker aircraft to extend the time its fighter jets can remain airborne. The aircraft will be built in Seville, giving Spain a central role in the proposed programme.

General Ireneusz Nowak, operational commander of Poland’s Armed Forces, said Spain’s cooperation had made production slots available for the Polish order. In comments to Defence24, he said those slots would enable deliveries before 2030 and linked the schedule to financing through the European SAFE instrument.

The A330 MRTT is designed to address a central limitation of fighter aircraft: the trade-off between fuel, range and weapons. By refuelling aircraft in flight, the tanker can help fighters operate farther from their bases without requiring them to sacrifice payload for additional fuel.

Airbus states that the MRTT has a range of up to 16,000 kilometres and can carry 110 tonnes of aviation fuel. It can refuel two aircraft simultaneously through two 27-metre hose systems. The aircraft has been certified to refuel 25 different receiver types, including the Spanish Navy’s Harrier, the French Rafale, the F-18, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-35 and Airbus A400M.

Unlike Boeing’s C-135, which is being progressively replaced by the Airbus model in several European fleets, the MRTT’s refuelling operator controls the operation from a dedicated console in the cabin. Cameras provide the necessary view of the aircraft being refuelled.

The tanker is also intended to support long-range force projection. Airbus has cited a 2021 French air force deployment in which fighter aircraft travelled 17,000 kilometres to French Polynesia in 48 hours during the Pégase mission. The manufacturer also points to an A400M flight of more than 11,000 kilometres to Guam in 2023, describing both missions as dependent on in-flight refuelling provided by the A330 MRTT.

Beyond its tanker role, the aircraft can carry up to 300 military personnel or 45 tonnes of useful cargo, according to Airbus documentation concerning the entry into service of Spain’s first MRTT. It can also be configured for medical evacuation, giving Poland a platform that could support transport, deployments and evacuation missions as well as aerial refuelling.

Sources: Motorpasión.