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Thailand Becomes Launch Customer for Airbus A330 MRTT+ With 2029 Delivery

The purchase couples next‑generation refuelling capability with Thai-based maintenance under an expanded Airbus–TAI agreement.

Artists impression of a Royal Thai Air Force Airbus A330 MRTT+. (Image credit: Airbus Defence and Space SAU 2025)
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Overview

  • The Royal Thai Air Force ordered one A330 MRTT+, making Thailand the first customer for the A330neo-based tanker variant.
  • Military conversion is slated for Airbus’s Getafe facility in 2026, with delivery to Thailand expected in 2029.
  • The aircraft will be equipped with both hose-and-drogue pods and a refuelling boom, an Airbus Medical Evacuation kit, and a VVIP cabin configuration.
  • Based on the A330-800, the MRTT+ adds Trent 7000 engines, aerodynamic refinements, up to 8% lower fuel burn, and a 242‑tonne maximum take-off weight.
  • An expanded Airbus–Thai Aviation Industries memorandum covers in-country sustainment, and a separate contract will add two H225 helicopters for SAR and EMS missions.