An innovative automatic air-to-air refuelling (A3R) capability has achieved full certification on the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), with Singapore the first customer to introduce it operationally.
The Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology granted the certification following a qualification and flight-test campaign that involved the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), says Airbus.
A3R certification work covered day and night missions, expanded flight envelopes, and multiple receiver aircraft types.
The company says that the certification confirms A3R’s “maturity, safety, and reliability across a wide range of mission profiles.”
Speaking in Singapore on 4 February, the head of tanker and transport programmes for Airbus said the company is increasingly confident that it has the best tanker offering currently on the market.
”We are winning more than 90% of the campaigns outside of the US,” says Maria Angeles Marti.
Marti confirms that adding A3R to existing MRTT jets requires physical modification work, which is available through Airbus for current operators. Canada will be the second customer for the automated refuelling technology after Singapore, and talks with a third customer are at a advanced stage.
Airbus is also considering making A3R a standard feature on MRTT+, which is based on the A330neo. The Royal Thai Air Force is the launch customer for the MRTT+ with an order for one aircraft. Airbus says this is due for delivery in 2029.
Airbus originally announced its A3R collaboration with the RSAF in February 2020. In 2021, the pair said they had completed flight trials with the technology, and that certification was expected later that year.
The technology — which involves automatic control of the aircraft’s refuelling boom – is intended to reduce air refuelling operator workload, improve safety and optimise the rate of fuel transfer.
“Achieving full certification of A3R is a significant achievement as Singapore’s A330 MRTTs can now perform automatic refuelling both in daytime and at night,” says DSTA head Ng Chad-son.
“DSTA worked very closely with the RSAF and Airbus to advance innovation, enhance safety and reduce crew workload. This attainment showcases effective technology integration and sets a new benchmark on automatic aerial refuelling globally.”
Singapore operates six MRTTs and the fleet attained full operational capability in 2021.
Additional reporting by Ryan Finnerty
Updated with details about necessity of modification work, Canada as a second customer, and Thailand’s MRTT+.
![[Photo4] AESA radar mounted on a platform simulator for ground-based functional and performance testing before flight trials](https://d3lcr32v2pp4l1.cloudfront.net/Pictures/100x67/3/4/5/115345_photo4aesaradarmountedonaplatformsimulatorforgroundbasedfunctionalandperformancetestingbeforeflighttrials_783684.jpg)
