Airbus A330 MRTT

Acquisitions of new helicopters and airborne early warning aircraft are funded, while other capabilities will be “explored.”

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Korea Aerospace Industries’ KF-21 has conducted its first air-to-air refueling test, joining up with an A330 MRTT.

The announcements came during a visit by Defense Minister Bill Blair to CFB Trenton, the main operating base for the CE-145C Vigilance and a hub for CC-330s.

The U.S. Air Force is evaluating bids from Airbus and Boeing for a planned replacement of the KC-135 ahead of a future tanker.

The models are the result of a 2018 memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at pooling engineering resources.

Embraer is confident that its KC-390 transport aircraft is compatible with the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport, its simulations have shown.

Despite the conflict in Gaza, the Middle East’s military modernization is continuing.

Airbus is building a road map of technologies for automated aerial refueling that will pave the way for a second-generation MRTT.

Airbus has begun de-risking work to develop a second-generation Multi-Role Tanker Transport version based on its A330neo.

Airbus Defense and Space has agreed to upgrade France’s A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transports.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force is testing an upgrade to the Airbus MRTT boom flight control software on the F-15SG.

The city-state’s air force and army participated in Exercise Forging Saber with novel artificial intelligence systems to maintain a strategic edge.

Negotiations are underway for the sale of the French Air Force’s fleet of Boeing C-135FR aerial refueling tankers after their withdrawal from the inventory.

The test campaign saw more than 500 dry and wet contacts between the Airbus A330 MRTT and Singapore's receivers, including F-15SGs and Lockheed Martin F-16s.

Ottawa is buying nine MRTT aircraft, which will be designated CC-330 Husky by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

The French Air and Space Force has kicked off Pégase 2023, an annual military exercise, to demonstrate its capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.

Lockheed Martin’s Tony Frese outlines why the LMXT programme using A330 MRTT aircraft could meet the US Air Force’s future strategic tanker requirements.

Lockheed’s tanker engine choice; Iran claims it has hypersonic missile; Japan awards warship contract; Poland’s first FA-50.

Lockheed Martins announces it will use the GE Aerospace CF6 to power its LMXT should the Airbus A330-based aircraft be built for tanker-transport service.

Germany, France, the Netherlands and Czech Republic are discussing the future of strategic airlift and eyeing solutions for heavy and outsized cargo aircraft.

The latest flight is part of the UK Royal Air Force's ongoing efforts to explore the use of sustainable and synthetic fuels.

Airbus believes the technology will pave the way for refueling of the UAS and collaborative combat aircraft being developed for FCAS.

The MMU was originally formed to create a fleet of pooled and shared tankers to boost the number of tanker aircraft available to European air forces.

NATO’s multinational aerial refueling unit is to receive a 10th aircraft, partner nations have agreed.