Thailand has ordered a single example of the new, upgraded Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport Plus (MRTT+).
Based on the upgraded A330-800 platform, this order is not only the first aerial refuelling aircraft ever for Thailand but also the first order for the upgraded MRTT+ variant. The A330-800 is one of two models in the A330neo, or new engine option, family, which has been developed following the huge success of the A320neo program.
As well as providing an aerial refuelling capability, the aircraft will give Thailand a highly capable transport function with the additional role of aeromedical evacuation and humanitarian aid delivery. Airbus says that the aircraft will be delivered with a VVIP specification cabin, though part of the cabin will likely keep a standard higher density passenger configuration for general personnel transport, as well as for accommodating the staff and press entourage during VVIP transport.
Thailand 🇹🇭 has acquired one A330 MRTT+, the enhanced A330neo-based version of the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport! ✈️
The aircraft’s advanced capabilities will be instrumental in securing Thailand’s sovereignty, providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), and… pic.twitter.com/NqY4ffW8KK
— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) September 25, 2025
Jean-Brice Dumont, head of Air Power at Airbus Defence & Space said: “Thailand’s selection of the A330 MRTT+ underlines the trust placed in this platform, while embracing the next evolution in efficiency, capability and sustainability. This natural evolution of the A330 MRTT, which will be a key asset for the Royal Thai Air Force operations, builds on its proven performance over the past years in service with nine customers all over the world, accumulating more than 340,000 flight hours.”
The A330 MRTT+ was first unveiled in 2024 at the Farnborough International Airshow, incorporating the A330-800’s new Trent 7000 engines and improved aerodynamic efficiencies. These provide for a nine-tonne increase in the aircraft’s maximum take-off weight as well as a fuel saving of up to 8% compared to the previous model.
Though the first operator of the MRTT+, the original MRTT is in wide use with a variety of air forces. Over sixty MRTT airframes have been delivered, and they form the backbone of Europe’s organic aerial refuelling force. Closer to Thailand, the MRTT is also operated by Australia, South Korea, and Singapore. 95% of the MRTT+ airframe remains common with the original A330 MRTT, simplifying logistics and affording access to the extensive support network for the Airbus A330 model throughout the world.
Airborne from Udon Thani, Thailand
Singapore 🇸🇬 Air Force
MRTT 763 at 23,150ft#AvGeek #Planespotting pic.twitter.com/UOMHp6xc9r— qooᴎꙄʏqooᴎꙄɘʜT (@TheSnoopySnoop) March 23, 2023
The A330-800 airframe destined for the Royal Thai Air Force is already in production and is expected to be delivered to Getafe in Spain for the military conversion process next year. Final delivery to Thailand is scheduled for 2029. Equipped with both wing-mounted hose and drogue refuelling pods, as well as a fuselage-mounted refuelling boom, the MRTT+ will be able to refuel Thailand’s probe-equipped Gripen fighters as well as its receptacle-equipped F-16s.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was additionally signed between Airbus and Thai Aviation Industries that will see maintenance and support functions for the MRTT+ undertaken domestically within Thailand. The two companies have already collaborated through Thailand’s fleet of Airbus C-295 transport aircraft, which are supported through a similar arrangement.
Fleet Modernisation
The order of an A330 MRTT+ is the latest development in a wider effort to recapitalise the Royal Thai Air Force’s inventory and prepare for future requirements. 2025 has already seen Thailand’s air force undertake live combat missions in the country’s border dispute with neighbouring Cambodia, but wider geopolitical instability in the region has the potential to spill over and require a much more modern defence force.
Gripen E/F aircraft will replace Thailand’s older F-16s and supplement an existing fleet of Gripen C and Gripen D fighters. A follow on order is possible to replace more of the F-16s, though there is also still a desire to procure higher capability fifth-generation fighter aircraft. A previous attempt to purchase a very small force of F-35A Lightning IIs was reportedly refused by the U.S. Government over concerns that Thailand was not ready to support the training or technical requirements necessitated by NATO’s mainstay stealth fighter.
The RTAF’s ageing fleet of Northrop F-5s are scheduled for withdrawal by 2031. These F-5s have recently undergone a major upgrade process supported by Elbit Systems. Upgrades include a tactical datalink function allowing rapid communication with Gripen and F-16 fighters and Thailand’s Saab 340 airborne early warning fleet, support for modern missiles like the IRIS-T, and many of Israel’s podded products like the LITENING targeting pod and Sky Shield electronic warfare pod. The cockpits have been updated with modern digital displays as well as Elbit’s DASH IV helmet-mounted display. These upgrades are hoped to ensure the venerable F-5 can still play a role in the modern battlespace until a replacement can be sourced.
