Government of Canada orders four new Airbus A330 MRTTs

Airbus Defence and Space has been awarded a contract for four newly built Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft by the Government of Canada.

The company will also convert five used A330-200s in a quest to strengthen Canada’s continental defence capabilities.

The current contract has an order value of approximately CA$3 billion.

This new fleet of aircraft – known as the Strategic Tanker Transport Capability (STTC) – will replace the aging CC-150 Polaris (A310 MRTT) operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The existing fleet is being used to perform air-to-air refuelling operations, military and personnel and cargo airlift, medical evacuations, as well as the strategic transport of Government of Canada officials.

Under the agreement, the A330 MRTTs will be equipped with both the hose-and-drogue, and a boom as refuelling options, cybersecurity solutions and countermeasures. All of them could be installed with the included Airbus Medical Evacuation Kit solution, consisting of two intensive care units and additional stretchers.

“As the world’s most advanced multirole tanker aircraft, the A330 MRTT perfectly matches Canada’s needs to protect its sovereignty as well as to enhance operations both in the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) as well as in NATO,” said Mike Schoellhorn, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Defence and Space. “Canada achieves this enhancement of operations not only by improving interoperability with other allied A330 MRTT customer nations but also due to the aircraft’s technological primacy ahead of the global competition.”