NATO Buys More Airbus A330s as Sweden, Denmark Join Aircraft Program
Airbus has secured a contract to supply two additional A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft for NATO.
Scheduled for deliveries in 2028 and 2029, the deal will expand the alliance’s refueling and cargo fleet to 12 platforms.
The order was placed as Sweden and Denmark formally joined NATO’s Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) program, a framework led by the alliance’s Support and Procurement Agency to pool and distribute heavy airlift systems among member nations.
With the entry of the countries, the MMF initiative now includes eight participating nations with rights to operate the fleet.
Airbus noted that the construction and associated conversions for the new A330s will be facilitated at its centers in Toulouse, France, and Getafe, Spain.
“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,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space.
“This collaboration exemplifies how European industry can respond effectively to evolving security challenges through innovation and cooperation.”
The A330 MRTT
Airbus’ A330 airframe measures 59 meters (194 feet) long and has a wingspan of 60 meters (197 feet).
It boasts a payload capacity of 45,000 kilograms (99,208 pounds) or seating for up to 290 people, as well as a fuel capacity of 111,000 kilograms (244,713 pounds).
Depending on the operator, the system is powered by either two Rolls-Royce Trent 772Bs, two General Electric CF6-80E1s, or two Pratt & Whitney PW4170 engines, with each engine pair producing an estimated combined output of 340,000 to 360,000 horsepower.
The A330 has a range of 8,000 nautical miles (14,816 kilometers/9,206 miles), an operational altitude of 13,000 meters (42,651 feet), and a maximum speed of 475 knots (880 kilometers/547 miles per hour).
