Spain and Poland advance Airbus A330 MRTT acquisition under SAFE

Dr Eleanor Whitcombe • September 26, 2026 17:14

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Spain’s Council of Ministers has approved the conclusion of a Framework Agreement to pursue, alongside Poland, the procurement of new Airbus A330 MRTT strategic transport and air-to-air refuelling aircraft. The operation has an estimated value of €5.4 billion and also includes the logistical support required to bring the aircraft into service. It is linked to the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument.

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The Spanish Council of Ministers granted the authorisation at its meeting on 25 August, stipulating that the Framework Agreement will run for seven years from its formal signing. Official information states that its purpose is to finalise a joint acquisition of MRTT aircraft and the services needed for their entry into service. An addendum will enable Poland’s participation in the programme to be formalised under the funding arrangements provided by SAFE.

Spain and Poland’s Airbus A330 MRTT procurement

Although the Spanish Government did not officially specify the final number of aircraft covered, the transaction is expected to involve at least seven newly built examples. Four of these would initially be allocated to Poland, which plans to take delivery before 2030. All Polish aircraft would be configured to the new A330 MRTT+ standard, an evolution of the current MRTT incorporating technologies derived from the A330neo, including aerodynamic enhancements, new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines and an increased maximum take-off weight of 242 tonnes.

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For Poland, bringing these assets into service would represent a major advance in its strategic power-projection capabilities. The A330 MRTT+ aircraft will provide both air-to-air refuelling and strategic transport, capabilities Warsaw is seeking to develop alongside the introduction of its new generation of F-35A fighters. Polish interest in the MRTT was in fact outlined last June during a visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz to Airbus facilities in Spain. On that occasion, the official stated that the acquisition would give Poland air-to-air refuelling and strategic transport capabilities that it had not previously possessed.

A330 MRTT+ capabilities for Poland

Selecting the A330 MRTT+ would also make Poland one of the first operators of this latest development of the European tanker aircraft. Airbus has presented the version as an evolution based on the A330-800, featuring Trent 7000 engines, aerodynamic changes and new wingtip devices, cutting fuel consumption by up to 8% while providing greater operational flexibility. The type also retains the multi-role capabilities of the standard MRTT, including air-to-air refuelling, personnel and cargo transport, and medical evacuation.

The Polish version will additionally be equipped with a refuelling boom, an especially significant feature in view of Poland’s future F-35A fleet. Although the A330-800 is not currently in serial production, Airbus retains the ability to manufacture aircraft to order before they undergo military conversion at its specialised centre in Getafe, Spain. The MRTT+ variant’s first customer is currently the Royal Thai Air Force, which ordered one aircraft with both boom and probe-and-drogue systems, as well as medical evacuation and transport capabilities.

Spain’s A330 MRTT fleet and industrial role

For Spain, the agreement also offers an opportunity to expand and strengthen the industrial and operational capabilities associated with the A330 MRTT, a platform already operated by the Spanish Air and Space Force as one of its principal strategic transport and air-to-air refuelling assets. In 2021, Spain purchased three A330 aircraft previously operated by Iberia for conversion to the MRTT configuration. Airbus delivered the second aircraft, designated TK-24-02, in October 2025, while the third was undergoing conversion at that time.

The arrival of these aircraft has already demonstrated the platform’s strategic value. In October 2025, one Spanish A330 MRTT flew 11,600 kilometres non-stop between China and Spain on a personnel repatriation mission lasting more than 15 hours, demonstrating the range and endurance provided by this type of aircraft; more recently, it completed a deployment to Australia.

Photographs used for illustrative purposes.