Italy Signs €1.4 Billion Deal for 6 Airbus A330 MRTTs to Replace 4 KC-767s
Updated
Updated · The Aviationist · May 20
Italy Signs €1.4 Billion Deal for 6 Airbus A330 MRTTs to Replace 4 KC-767s
3 articles · Updated · The Aviationist · May 20
Six A330 MRTT tankers were contracted from Airbus in April 2026 under a €1.4 billion Italian defense deal, replacing the Air Force’s four KC-767 refuelers and expanding the fleet.
TED records show the A330 was selected in December 2025 and was the only bid in the competition after an earlier tender ended in April 2025 with no bidders.
Italian defense documents differ on execution details, listing the signature date as either Feb. 23 or Apr. 16 and the program length as 96 months or 10 years.
The replacement program was elevated to top priority after the Air Force warned that failing to replace the KC-767s could compromise operational capability.
The award ends Italy’s aborted KC-46 path from 2022-24 and aligns it with other European operators that already use the A330 MRTT.
Does Italy’s A330 deal signal a wider European move away from reliance on US military hardware?
Why did Italy scrap its deal for Boeing's troubled tanker, opting for a €1.4 billion Airbus contract instead?