First Flight for the New MRTT Royal Saudi Air Force Tanker

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First Airbus Military A330 MRTT for Royal Saudi Air Force makes maiden flight: The picture shows the first A330 MRTT for the RSAF landing at Getafe Airbus Military in Spain. Photo: EADS

The first Airbus Military A330 MRTT for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) has successfully completed its maiden flight lasting 4hr 15min. Following the 15th March flight the aircraft now enters the final certification and qualification phase for this version of the A330 MRTT, prior for delivery to the customer later this year. The second RSAF MRTT is already in conversion at the EADS’s Getafe site (close to Madrid, Spain) and the third will begin the process in mid-year.

First Airbus Military A330 MRTT for Royal Saudi Air Force makes maiden flight: The picture shows the first A330 MRTT for the RSAF landing at Getafe Airbus Military in Spain. Photo: EADS

Prior to this flight, five A330 MRTTs had already flown. Those include three for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and two for the UK Royal Air Force. Two of the aircraft are already technically complete and ready for delivery to the RAAF in Getafe, pending finalisation of contractual discussion.