Airbus and Singapore Achieve Certification for Automatic Air-to-Air Refueling on the A330 MRTT
Airbus and Singapore have secured full certification for the Automatic Air-to-Air Refueling (A3R) capability on the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). This certification, issued by the Spanish National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA), marks a global first in aviation.
Pioneering Certification in Collaboration with Singapore Air Force
The A3R certification was achieved following an extensive qualification and flight test campaign conducted in close collaboration with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA). With this certification, the RSAF becomes the first air force in the world to introduce the A3R into its fleet of A330 MRTT, operated by the 112th Squadron. The A3R system utilizes advanced automation and computer vision technologies to detect, track, and automatically engage refueled aircraft without the need for manual intervention. The certification confirms the maturity, safety, and reliability of the A3R system across a wide range of mission profiles.
Joint Efforts to Validate and Expedite A3R Service Entry
The collaborative efforts between Airbus, the RSAF, and the DSTA began in 2020 to validate and expedite the operational entry of the A3R system. The certification program included day and night missions, extended flight envelopes, and multiple types of refueled aircraft. Flight tests were conducted in Spain and Singapore, with the RSAF providing the A330 MRTT as well as F-16 and F-15 jets as receivers to support testing and validation. The A3R system was developed by Airbus as part of its SMART MRTT vision.
