UAE receives first follow-on MRTT aircraft

The first of a follow-on batch of two MRTT aircraft for the UAE seen at the Airbus fit-out facility in Getafe, Spain, ahead of delivery. (Airbus)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has received the first of a further two Airbus A330 Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft ordered in 2021.

The manufacturer announced the delivery to the UAE Air Force and Air Defence (AFAD) at Al Ain Air Base in Abu Dhabi on 13 November, with this aircraft now joining the country's transport wing. When deliveries are complete the UAE AFAD will field five MRTTs, with the original three that were delivered from 2013 being upgraded to the same standard as the latest two aircraft.

First revealed by Airbus in 2014 the A330 MRTT Enhanced is now the baseline standard for the aircraft, featuring a number of structural and system upgrades both to the baseline commercial airliner and the fitted military equipment.

This standard features improvements to the aerodynamics, structure, and mission computer. In the latter case, the Power-8 system is fitted, which includes new displays and updated avionics. Improvements to the military systems comprise a mission system upgrade, a mission planning system upgrade, an improvement to the Aerial Refuelling Boom System (dubbed Boom Upgrade 3), a Boom Visual System upgrade, provisions for Identification Friend-or-Foe Mode 5, and the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast tracking system.