WEAPONS TRANSFERRED TO THE SAUDI-LED COALITION AND EMPLOYED IN THE CONFLICT IN YEMEN (2015-ongoing)
Airbus A330 MRTT
| WEAPON NAME | Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) |
|---|
The Airbus A330 MRTT is an aerial refuelling tanker aircraft based on the civilian Airbus A330. It is designed as a dual-role air-to-air refuelling and transport aircraft. The A330 MRTT can carry up to 111 tonnes of fuel, a maximum payload of up to 45 tonnes and support the deployment of four fighter aircraft plus 50 personnel and 12 tonnes of freight (luggage, spare parts and equipment) in one direct flight over 5,200 km. Standard commercial A330-200s are delivered from Airbus Final Assembly Line in Toulouse, France to Airbus Military Conversion Centre in Getafe, Spain for fitting of refuelling systems and military avionics. → airbus.com/a330mrtt
| COMPONENTS |
|---|
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Aerial Refuelling Boom System (UK)
The A330 MRTT is provided with the Airbus Aerial Refuelling Boom System. It is capable of refuelling all
receivers from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and fighters to strategic bombers and large airlifters.
→ airbus.com/a330mrtt
Airborne Video Systems for Air-to-Air Refueling (DE)
Kappa’s Airborne Vision System for air-to-air refueling is developed and optimized in the AAR Vision System of the A330 MRTT tanker. Equipped with cameras (day, night, LWIR), illuminators including a covert operations mode (MIL-STD-3009 compliant) and an infrared mode to adapt to mission specifics.
→ kappa-optronics.com/in-flight-refueling-cameras
CF6-80E1/F-103 Turbofan Engine (US)
The Airbus A330 MRTT is powered by two General Electric CF6-80E1A3 engines manufactured by GE Aviation, one of its subsidiary. The 68,000 to 72,000 lbf (300 to 320 kN) variant competes with the Rolls-Royce Trent 700 and the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 to power the Airbus A330.
→ geaviation.com/cf6-engine
Fuselage Stringers (BE)
Sonaca group designs the fuselage stringers of the Airbus A330 MRTT. Aerospace contracts are concluded as well with Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Bombardier, Dassault, Gulfstream, Honda Jet, MRJ and Pilatu.
→ sonaca.com/airbus
LCD Displays (BE)
Airbus Military A330 MRTT uses avionics displays from Barco in Kortrijk, Belgium. The cockpits are equipped with Barco's CHDD-268 Cockpit Head Down touch screen displays and PU-2000 multi-capability processing units.
→ militaryaerospace.com/barco-avionics
| MANUFACTURER |
|---|
Conversion of A330 into A330 MRTT: Airbus Defence and Space, Military Conversion Centre, Getafe, SPAIN → airbus.com
Airborne Video Systems: Kappa optronics GmbH, Gleichen, GERMANY → kappa-optronics.com
Aerial Refuelling Boom System: Airbus Defence and Space Newport, UNITED KINGDOM → airbus.com
Fuselage Stringers: SONACA, Charleroi, BELGIUM → sonaca.com
LCD Display: Barco, now ScioTeq, Kortrijk, BELGIUM → scioteq.com
CF6/F-103 Turbofan: GE Aviation (General Electrics), Evendale, Ohio, UNITED STATES → geaviation.com
| ARMS EXPORT |
|---|
With 60 total aircraft sales as of March 2020, the A330 MRTT has been ordered by Australia, France, NATO, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and the UK. (airbus.com)
Arms Sales →
Estadísticas de exportación de material de defensa, año 2015 (pp. 73)
Transfer of Airbur A330 MRTT from Spain to Saudi Arabia
| NAME | TYPE | ORDER | # | DELIVERY | # | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-330 MRTT | Tanker/transport ac | 2008 | 3 | 2011-2012 | 3 | |
| A-330 MRTT | Tanker/transport ac | 2009 | 3 | 2014-2015 | 3 |
Transfer of Airbus A330 MRTT components from the manufacturing countries to Spain
| NAME | TYPE | ORDER | # | DELIVERY | # | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (UK) Air refuel system | Air refuel system | 2008 | 3 | 2011-2012 | 3 | For 3 A-330 MRTT tanker/transport aircraft from Spain |
| (UK) Air refuel system | Air refuel system | 2009 | 3 | 2014-2015 | 3 | For 3 A-330 MRTT tanker/transport aircraft from Spain |
| (DE) Airborne Video Systems | / | / | / | / | / | |
| (US) CF6/F-103 | Turbofan | 2008 | 6 | 2011-2012 | 6 | For 3 A-330 MRTT aircraft from Spain |
| (BE) Fuselage Stringers | / | / | / | / | / | |
| (BE) LCD Display | / | / | / | / | / |
| MAINTENANCE |
|---|
Saudi A330 MRTTs are refueling planes that allow for bomber jets to refuel mid-air Saudi jets flying over Yemen. Spain’s economy ministry reported that in 2016 more than €101 million euro of spare parts for in-flight refueling aircrafts were exported to Saudi Arabia. Both Iberia and Airbus confirmed checks and maintenance were done in Saudi Arabia, but did not want to specify the maintenance work conducted in Saudi Arabia or in Spain. The legally-binding Common Position prohibits maintenance of military equipment for countries that commit atrocities. (bellingcat.com, Nov. 2019)
| IDENTIFICATION | Saudi Air Force Typhoon from the 10th sq getting refuelled by an RSAF A-330 MRTT over the Saudi southern border. (Nov. 11, 2016) |
|---|
Tweet by @MBKS on 11 November 2016. Location: 17°42’34.0”N 43°30’59.6”E (euarms.com/Airbus-A330-MRRT)
Flighradar24 information shared by the Twitter account @CilMilAir on 3 December 2018 is showing flight details of an Airbus MRTT in the Yemeni airspace. (euarms.com/Airbus-A330-MRRT)
| GEOLOCATION | Dharan, Saudi Arabia → 17°42’34.0”N 43°30’59.6”E |
|---|
Satellite Image, Apple Maps
(Verified Investigation → EUArms Project)
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