Thursday, July 11, 2024 The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced an order for four additional Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft to bolster the capabilities of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF). The conversion process for the first of these aircraft is scheduled to commence in early 2026. Following their conversion, these advanced aircraft are expected to be operational and integrated into the RSAF by 2027, enhancing the RSAF’s ability to perform both air-to-air refueling and transport missions.
“This new order demonstrates the high level of customer satisfaction with the A330 MRTT”, said Jean-Brice Dumont , Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space. “This is the third contract signed by Saudi Arabia for the A330 MRTT, making the RSAF one of the largest MRTT operators in the world”. The recent contract for four additional Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) includes a robust logistics support package.
This package encompasses spare parts, training services, and ongoing service support for the new aircraft. All RSAF A330 MRTTs are equipped with hose and drogue pods, a boom system, and a refueling receptacle, enabling them to receive fuel from boom-equipped tankers. In January 2024, Airbus signed an Industrial Participation (IP) agreement with the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) as part of the contract.
This agreement aims to support Vision 2030, a Saudi government initi.
