Airbus is planning to give the go-ahead for a major upgrade of its A330-based tanker offering, switching from the A330 widebody to the A330neo, also known as MRTT+ in the tanker configuration.
The A330neo tanker will be exclusively offered with Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, while previous options included engines from Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, and an older Rolls-Royce powerplant, the Trent 700.
A full-scale program for the upgraded tanker is expected to begin by the end of the year, with Airbus enjoying strong demand for the MRTT and securing orders from countries like Saudi Arabia.
While Airbus is interested in selling the tanker to the U.S. Air Force, there is uncertainty regarding competition. Talks are ongoing, but Airbus is also focusing on the global market for the upgraded tanker.
