Paris Air Show 2025: Airbus to increase MRTT build rate to satisfy surge in tanker demand

With more than 80 sold to date, Airbus is to increase the production rate of its MRTT to satisfy an anticipated rise in demand. (NATO)

Airbus Defence and Space (DS) is to increase the production rate of its A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) to satisfy a surge in demand for aerial refuelling aircraft.

Speaking at the Paris Air Show 2025 on 17 June, head of Air Power at Airbus DS Jean-Brice Dumont said that with the first enhanced MRTT+ aircraft now in build for its undisclosed launch customer, the company is looking at increasing the production rate from the current five to six airframes per year so as to accommodate an anticipated rise in orders.

“We are seeing that demand is very high, and we are now studying an increase in the build rate – it is more than a study, actually,” he said.

Dumont's comments came a year after Airbus DS revealed the MRTT+ at the Farnborough International Air Show 2024, with its key differentiator from the baseline variant being that it is an aircraft based on the new engine option (neo) airframe to afford it greater fuel efficiency and range.

At that time, the CEO of Airbus DS, Michael Schoellhorn, said that customer deliveries would commence by 2030, but with the first aircraft now being built it appears that this schedule has been brought forward.

For more information on the MRTT, please see Farnborough 2024: Airbus reveals enhanced MRTT+ tanker transport aircraft .