Airbus Defence and Space announced on May 20, 2026 that it will open a second A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) conversion center at its San Pablo facility in Seville by the end of 2027, citing a sustained increase in global demand for tanker aircraft.
The new line will complement the existing conversion facility in Getafe, near Madrid, and lift Airbus’s combined annual conversion rate from five to seven aircraft.
The Seville site will also perform Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) work and upgrades on in-service A330 MRTTs, broadening the company’s tanker support footprint. Airbus said it would carry out infrastructure upgrades at San Pablo to accommodate the conversion process.
Capacity to match a thickening order book
The decision follows a string of European and international tanker awards that have sharply increased the A330 MRTT order count. According to Airbus, the platform has now received 91 orders from 19 countries, representing a 90% market share outside the United States.
Italy signed a contract on February 23, 2026, for six A330 MRTTs to replace the Italian Air Force’s four KC-767As. The €1.393 billion deal covers both acquisition and integrated logistic support, and was awarded to Airbus Defence and Space. Rome set aside an earlier preference for the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus, which had been recommended by the Directorate of Aeronautical Armaments and Airworthiness (ARMAEREO) on fleet-commonality grounds. The Italian procurement documentation does not specify whether the order covers the current A330 MRTT configuration or the upgraded A330 MRTT+.
The MRTT+, unveiled at the 2024 Farnborough Airshow, is now in production alongside the legacy A330-200-based variant. Built on the A330-800neo airframe and powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the new aircraft offers around 8% lower fuel burn and a maximum takeoff weight raised from 233 to 242 tons, while retaining roughly 95% airframe commonality with the current model. Thailand became the launch customer in September 2025, with conversion at Getafe scheduled to begin in 2026 and final delivery in 2029.
Elsewhere in Europe, Poland is evaluating an acquisition of up to four aircraft using funding from the EU’s SAFE mechanism, while Spain has signaled an intention to expand its current three-aircraft fleet. The NATO Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) based in Eindhoven grew to 12 aircraft in June 2025 with the accession of Sweden and Denmark.
Outside Europe, Saudi Arabia added four aircraft to its existing fleet in 2024, and Canada is converting five second-hand A330-200s at Getafe alongside four new-build airframes for its CC-330 Husky program.
San Pablo already hosts the A400M and C295 final assembly lines, the Military Aircraft International Training Centre, and a significant share of the more than 3,500 Airbus employees based in Andalusia. Airbus said the site’s industrial base and logistical proximity to Getafe made it the natural location for the new tanker work.
The company has not disclosed investment figures or the impact of the expansion on delivery schedules for outstanding orders.
source
