At the Dubai Airshow today, the United Arab Emirates Air Force & Air Defence formally ordered two additional Airbus A330 Multi-Role Ranker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, increasing the nation’s MRTT fleet to up to five aircraft.
On Sunday (November 14, 2021), from the Dubai Airshow, Airbus announced that the United Arab Emirates Air Force & Air Defence has formally placed an order for two additional Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, increasing the country’s fleet to up to five MRTTS. Deliveries will start in 2024, and the agreement also includes the upgrade of the UAE’s current A330 MRTT fleet to the latest enhanced version.
In Sunday’s announcement, Airbus Defence and Space’s Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Bernhard Brenner, said,
“Since its entry into service in 2013 with the UAE Air Force, the A330 MRTT has delivered much more than initially expected, meeting our customer’s operational needs. This repeat order, added to the growing MRTT customer base, confirms the suitability of our platform as the world’s tanker of reference.”
The Airbus A330 MRTT is the only next generation strategic taker and transport flying today. Derived from an Airbus A330-200 airliner, the aircraft offers a large basic fuel capacity of 111 tons (245,000 lbs.) without the need for additional fuel tanks, making the aircraft ideal for air-to-air refueling. The A330 MRTT can also be used as a dedicated transport aircraft, with the ability to carry up to 300 troops or a payload of up to 45 tons (99,000 lb.). The aircraft can also be easily converted to accommodate light and intensive care stations for MEDEVAC missions. The A330 MRTT has flown over 250,000 flight hours, with 51 aircraft delivered to 13 customers.
Source: Airbus