NATO AWACS and MRTT aircraft gain mid-air refuelling cert

NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) E-3A fleet and its Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A330 aircraft have been certified for air-to-air refuelling operations following successful test flights in July, according to a NATO press release.

The certification marks a new milestone in the Alliance’s efforts to expand strategic reach and operational flexibility.

The trials validated the technical compatibility between Boeing’s E-3A airborne early warning aircraft and Airbus’ MRTT tanker, confirming their readiness to conduct mid-air fuel transfers during missions. NATO says the development will enable faster deployments and longer-duration aerial surveillance operations, strengthening interoperability among Allies.

The AWACS fleet is managed by the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force (NAEW&CF) based in Geilenkirchen, Germany, while the MRTT aircraft are owned by NATO and managed by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). The MRTT fleet is primarily based at Eindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands.

Support for the certification process came from the Royal Netherlands Air Force Flight Test Centre, the Multinational MRTT Unit, the European Air Transport Command and the Air Refueling Certification Agency. NATO officials say the project demonstrates both Allied cooperation and the growing contribution of European members to the Alliance’s shared capabilities.

NATO described the achievement as another example of the transatlantic unity and resolve reaffirmed at the NATO Summit in The Hague, where leaders agreed to new capability targets to strengthen the Alliance’s air defence posture. The organisation says these upgrades are part of a wider effort to “future-proof NATO’s ability to guard our skies and maintain vigilance wherever it is needed.”