A Spanish Air Force A330 MRTT refuelling two Eurofighter aircraft | Photo: Airbus Defence and Space
Italy’s Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract worth €1.39 billion to Airbus for the acquisition of six A330 MRTT tanker aircraft and associated integrated logistics support for the Italian Air Force’s Heavy Multi Role tanker fleet modernization program.
The award notice, published in the Official Journal of the European Union on May 19, 2026, identified the winning company as Airbus Defence and Space. The contract was awarded through a restricted European procurement procedure managed by the Italian Ministry of Defence’s Directorate of Aeronautical Armaments and Airworthiness.
The contract covers the acquisition of six tanker aircraft as well as logistics support services intended to sustain the fleet over its operational life. The program has an estimated duration of 122 months, or slightly more than 10 years.
According to the award notice, the final contract value was set at €1.393 billion excluding VAT, lower than the initially estimated value of approximately €1.408 billion. The contract was formally concluded on April 16, 2026, while the winning bidder had been selected on December 16, 2025.
Only one tender was submitted during the procurement process. The submission came from a bidder registered in another European Economic Area country. Airbus Defence and Space SAU, based in Getafe, Spain, was subsequently selected for the contract.
The procurement process used a “best quality-price ratio” evaluation approach in accordance with Article 108 of Italy’s Legislative Decree No. 36/2023. Additional evaluation details were contained in the technical specifications attached to the tender documentation.
While the award notice did not identify the specific tanker aircraft model to be supplied, Airbus Defence and Space is commonly known to sell the Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) model of its A330 airliner.
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