The Spanish Air Force's first A330 MRTT and the message it sends about the F-35

The Spanish Air Force officially received its first Airbus A330 MRTT strategic tanker aircraft today.

Portugal and Canada put the Spanish Navy in a difficult situation in relation to the F-35 fighter
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In September 2021, Spain announced the purchase of three Airbus A330-200s from Iberia for conversion into MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport), for an amount of 810 million euros. The aircraft would be part of the 45th Air Force Group, based in Torrejón, which in March 2025 was transformed into the current Wing 45.

This first A330 MRTT bears the Spanish military registration TK.24-03 (T for transport and K for tanker aircraft), with serial number 10275 and unit number 452-03. The MRTT is a multipurpose aircraft that can be used as a tanker aircraft and strategic transport for both troops and cargo, as well as for aerial medical evacuations (MEDEVAC) and VIP transport (in 2022 it began to be used to transport members of the government on very long-distance flights).

The Spanish A330 MRTTs will have a flight range of more than 18 hours and a range of 16,000 kilometers, and can carry up to 111 tons of fuel, 300 soldiers, or 45 tons of cargo. The Air Force has indicated today on its website that "this aircraft can be configured with a specific air medical evacuation kit (MEDEVAC), being able to install different stretcher modules and stations intensive care."

Currently, the other two A330s of the Spanish Air Force (the T.24-01 and the T.24-02) are already in the process of being converted to the MRTT variant at the Airbus factory in Getafe (Madrid). Once this conversion is complete, they will receive new registrations: TK.24-01 and TK.24-02.

There is a significant detail about these aircraft that I already indicated here in November 2021 and that the Spanish Air Force has confirmed today: "The Airbus A330 MRTT for the Spanish Air Force is equipped with a state-of-the-art hose and drogue type refueling system. Airbus offers the possibility of equipping its A330 MRTTs with Cobham 905E nacelles under the wings and a Cobham 805E module in the ventral section of the fuselage, both of the hose and drogue system. This is the system used by the Spanish Air Force's EF-18 and Eurofighter fighters, as well as the Spanish Navy's Harrier II.

Airbus also offers the option of installing an ARBS boom for the "flying boom" system, which allows for faster refueling (1,200 gallons per minute compared to 420 gallons per minute for the hose and drug system). Judging by the Spanish Air Force, the A330 MRTTs will not have this option. FlyNews points out that "they have the complete pre-installation to be able to add it in the future", but for the moment, apparently, its installation has not been considered necessary.

A configuration that closes the door to the F-35A for Spain

Interestingly, this refueling configuration for the Spanish A330 MRTTs sends a message about the F-35. Recall that the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A variant, used by most air forces, uses the boom system for in-flight refueling. Recall that in November 2021, Janes indicated that Spain could purchase 25 F-35As for the Spanish Air Force. This option seems ruled out with what was announced today by the Spanish Air Force, since if it had the intention of purchasing these F-35As, the Air Force would have requested the boom system for its A330 MRTT in order to be able to refuel these stealth fighters in flight.

It should be added that what was announced today does not rule out the possibility of the Spanish Navy eventually receiving the F-35B, since this version of this fifth-generation fighter uses the hose and drogue system installed on the Spanish A330 MRTT. The Spanish Navy lacks its own in-flight refueling aircraft, so it always turns to the Air Force for these needs.

The A330 MRTTs of France and the Netherlands both have refueling systems.

The Spanish Air Force's report on the delivery of this first A330 MRTT includes statements by the Secretary of State for Defense, Amparo Valcarce, stating that this aircraft is "a contribution to the European pillar of defense, to the European pillar of NATO. An aircraft that gives us the confidence to live up to our commitments." Yes, NATO will benefit from one of its member countries having these aircraft, but the Spanish government could have thought a little more about our allies when configuring these aircraft.

Consider, for example, that our Portuguese neighbors and other European countries operate the F-16, an aircraft that can only be refueled in flight with the boom system (above, one of those Portuguese fighters). The same applies to the European countries that operate the F-35A: Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Poland, and soon also Germany, the Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, and Romania. In NATO operations, Spanish fighters have had the opportunity to be refueled by allied aircraft, but Spain will only be able to refuel those with the hose and drogue system, which not only limits our ability to provide boom refueling capability to allied countries, but also limits our options when purchasing fighter aircraft.

Unlike Spain, France purchased its A330 MRTTs equipped with ARBS booms (as seen above), even though its Rafale and Mirage 2000 fighters use the hose and drogue system. The Dutch A330 MRTTs have booms, as their fighters use this refueling system, but they also have Cobham 905E nacelles for hose and drogue refueling (as we can see above in a photo of a Dutch A330 MRTT refueling German Eurofighters).

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Photos: Ejército del Aire / Ministerio de Defensa / U.S. Air Force / Ministère des Armées / Defensiekrant 33.