Thailand becomes launch customer for Airbus A330 MRTT+
September 26, 2025
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) on 25 September signed a landmark deal to become the first customer of Airbus’ next-generation A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport Plus (MRTT+), a state-of-the-art aircraft that will expand Thailand’s air power and long-range operational reach.
The new-generation tanker, based on the A330neo, is expected to transform the way Thailand projects power, supports humanitarian operations and sustains its fighter fleet in the years ahead.
The aircraft is scheduled to enter military conversion at the A330 MRTT Centre in Getafe, Spain, in 2026, with final delivery to the customer in 2029, said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space.
Air Chief Marshal Phanphakdee Phattanakul confirmed during the service’s 88th anniversary celebrations recently that the aircraft will be a cornerstone of Thailand’s future force structure, ensuring that the kingdom can defend its sovereignty and also respond more effectively to regional crises.
Why Thailand wants the Airbus A330 MRTT+ now
For Thailand, timing is everything. The country has long operated a single Airbus A340-500, which has performed well in VIP transport and long-range airlift missions but is not optimised for aerial refuelling.
With its frontline fighters – the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon and Saab JAS-39 Gripen – requiring sustained reach to cover the kingdom’s vast maritime boundaries and regional commitments, Bangkok has been seeking a true multi-role tanker for years.
The MRTT+ answers this need. It will give the RTAF the ability to keep fighters airborne for longer, extend their patrol radius, and allow them to operate at full payload without compromising range.
In parallel, the aircraft will add a powerful humanitarian and disaster relief dimension, with its capacity to carry medical evacuation kits, cargo and hundreds of passengers.
The aircraft will enter conversion at Airbus’s A330 MRTT centre in Spain in 2026. Following a nine-month modification process involving around 50,000 design changes, delivery to Thailand is expected in 2029.
Airbus has signed an expanded Memorandum of Understanding with Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) to provide in-country maintenance for the MRTT+.
This builds on the companies’ cooperation on the C295 transport aircraft and aligns with Thailand’s “Make in Thailand” industrial policy.
“Through our partnership with TAI, Airbus is committed to transferring skills, know-how, and technology to further develop aerospace capabilities in Thailand,” added Jean-Brice Dumont. “This expanded MoU with TAI ensures that the RTAF’s A330 MRTT+ will be maintained in-country, while also reinforcing our contribution to Thailand’s defence ecosystem and industrial growth.”
What’s different about the Airbus A330 MRTT+?
Launched at the 2024 Farnborough Airshow, the A330 MRTT+ represents the latest evolution of Airbus’s combat-proven tanker.
The new MRTT+ programme is derived from the A330-800neo airliner and delivers lower fuel burn and extended range compared to the current A330-200 MRTT.
It inherits innovations from the A330-800 commercial airliner, including Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, refined aerodynamics and modern wing-tips.
Together, these upgrades reduce fuel burn by around 8% and cut emissions and noise.
During the launch, Dumont had said: “I think many countries are realising, with a number of fighters or other aircraft [in need of refuelling] … they all have the principle of being able to deploy fast and far.”
Key improvements include:
- Greater fuel offload and range: With a maximum take-off weight of 242 tonnes, the MRTT+ carries more fuel than earlier variants, giving commanders flexibility for long missions.
- Dual refuelling systems: Both hose-and-drogue pods and a boom system are fitted, allowing it to refuel more than 25 types of aircraft, from F-16s and Gripens to larger transports and bombers.
- Multi-role capability: In addition to tanking, the MRTT+ can switch to VIP transport, airlift or medical evacuation. Flexible cabin layouts allow up to 300 passengers, 40 stretchers and 20 medical staff to be carried in one mission.
- Advanced technology: The type is cleared for automatic air-to-air refuelling (A3R) operations, reducing pilot workload, improving safety and enabling night missions without external lighting.
The RTAF aircraft will also feature a dedicated VVIP cabin and Airbus’s proven medical evacuation kit, underscoring its role as a national strategic asset.
Boosting the Royal Thai Air Force’s combat and humanitarian edge
For the RTAF, the MRTT+ is not merely an aircraft purchase but a strategic capability leap.
By extending the operational endurance of its F-16s and Gripens, the tanker strengthens deterrence and allows Thailand to maintain credible air coverage in a region where airspace and maritime boundaries are increasingly contested.
The aircraft’s dual-use design also ensures it can play a central role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, which is a vital mission in Southeast Asia given the frequency of cyclones, tsunamis and floods. The MEDEVAC configuration will allow Thai crews to quickly convert the aircraft into a flying hospital, able to carry dozens of casualties alongside medical staff.
Regional context: Who else flies the MRTT in Southeast Asia?
With this acquisition, Thailand joins a small but growing club of A330 MRTT operators.
Singapore remains the only Southeast Asian air force to already operate the tanker, using it extensively for regional deployments, humanitarian evacuations and long-range air mobility. The Singapore Air Force (RSAF) received its first Airbus MRTT in 2018, which is based on the A330-200 version.
Beyond Southeast Asia, the A330 MRTT has been adopted by major air powers including Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, the UAE and NATO’s multinational fleet.
With more than 340,000 flight hours logged and over 270,000 refuelling contacts made, the type has established itself as the global benchmark outside the United States, commanding more than 90% of the non-US market.
The Airbus A330 MRTT+ is much more than a replacement for Thailand’s ageing A340-500. It represents a generational leap in capability, ensuring that the RTAF can sustain its fighters, protect the nation’s sovereignty and project soft power through humanitarian operations.
When it enters service in 2029, the MRTT+ will give Thailand not only a technological edge but also a platform for closer cooperation with regional and international partners. It is a purchase that reflects both hard security requirements and Thailand’s long-standing role as a responsible contributor to regional stability.
As Air Chief Marshal Phattanakul put it, the new aircraft is destined to be a key asset for the RTAF, embodying efficiency, capability and sustainability at a moment when air forces across Asia are racing to modernise.
