Spain’s government has approved a seven-year framework agreement with Poland for the joint purchase of at least seven Airbus A330 MRTT tanker-transport aircraft, in a deal valued at about €5.4 billion and including logistical support to bring the fleet into service. Poland’s defence minister said the country will receive four aircraft by 2030, while Spain will also add aircraft under the same procurement plan.
The Council of Ministers cleared the framework on 25 August, opening the way for a coordinated buy under the European Union’s SAFE defence financing instrument. The aircraft are linked to Airbus’s conversion and assembly work at Getafe, near Madrid, where Spain already operates the A330 MRTT and has built experience with the type.
The arrangement gives Poland a dedicated tanker capability for refuelling aircraft including its F-16s and future F-35s, while also adding transport and medical-evacuation capacity. The precise final split between the two countries and the configuration of the aircraft have not been fully disclosed, although some reporting points to the newer A330 MRTT+ variant.