The Ejercito del Aire (Spanish Air Force) is expected to acquire three Airbus A330-200s from the airline Iberia to convert them into in-flight refueling planes in the MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) standard in the future.
According to the portal flightglobal, the Spanish Government approved at the end of June the acquisition of three transport and refueling aircraft, allocating the sum of €148 million (US$174 million) as part of an even larger agreement with Airbus, which also includes helicopters, as well as the commitment with FCAS (Future Combat Air System), a European multinational project that foresees the development of a 6th Generation fighter.
According to the Official, the first aircraft will be delivered to the Air Force later this year, with the second arriving months later. Both will be initially employed without conversion to MRTT. The third A330 will be sent straight to work in Getafe when it is handed over to the Government in 2023, with the other two planes being sent afterwards.
Iberia has a fleet of 13 A330-200s in service with two other aircraft in stock, points out the portal citing data from Cirium, with the majority being owned by the company itself or by its parent company IAG. Iberia claims to have submitted its contract offer, "But negotiations are still ongoing." This is also not the first time that this type of business has taken place. Two of the Royal Australian Air Force's seven A330 MRTTs were operated at Qantas.
Around here, the Brazilian Air Force is looking to acquire two A330s that are also used. In May, the Ministry of Defense authorized the organization to seek two aircraft on the market, months after the President of the Republic announced the purchase of the planes for the FAB during a live.
