Airbus, Singapore conducts F-15 refuelling with A330

Airbus and the RSAF have completed the automatic air-to-air refuelling (A3R) flight test campaign with an A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and F-15SG fighter jet. The refuelling trial took place ahead of the A330s certification in the first half of 2024.

Over the course of three weeks in August, an RSAF A330 MRTT made more than 500 automated wet and dry contacts with the air force’s full fleet of receiver aircraft, including the F-15SG aircraft, a customised variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet.

‘This new milestone will enable the RSAF to become the first air force in the world to have a boom automatic refuelling capability with all of its receivers, a capability that can be extended to refuelling receivers from other nations,’ said Jean-Brice Dumont, head of military air systems at Airbus Defence and Space.

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The flight tests were conducted in Singapore and were supervised by the Spanish certifying authority National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA).

Refuelling flight tests were also conducted with the RSAF’s A330 and F-16s as receivers for data collection to complete the development and enable night capabilities with the automated system, Airbus said.

The first Airbus A330 MRTT for RSAF arrived in the country in August 2018. The aircraft was officially unveiled to the public at the RSAF parade on 1 September. 

The 111t basic fuel capacity of the A330-200 airliner – from which the A330 is derived – enables the A330 MRTT to perform air-to-air refuelling missions without the need for any additional tanks. 

The A330 MRTT is offered with a choice of air-to-air refuelling (AAR) systems, including the Airbus Military Aerial Refuelling Boom System (ARBS), a pair of underwing hose and drogue pods and/or a fuselage refuelling unit. The aircraft is also known as KC-30 or Voyager.