Airbus, Singapore Air Force Complete A3R Flight Test Campaign for A330 MRTT and F-15 Fighter

Airbus collaborated with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to complete a flight test campaign for automatic air-to-air refueling (A3R) with the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and F-15 fighter aircraft.

This achievement occurred ahead of its certification, scheduled for the first half of 2024.

During a three-week period in August, an RSAF A330 MRTT engaged in more than 500 automated refueling contacts, both wet and dry, with the RSAF's entire array of receiver aircraft, which includes the F-15SG aircraft, a customized version of the U.S.-manufactured F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet.

“This new milestone will enable the RSAF to become the first Air Force in the world to have a boom automatic refueling capability with all of its receivers, a capability that can be extended to refueling receivers from other nations,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.

The flight tests involving the F-15SG were conducted in Singapore, covering the complete operational air-to-air refueling envelope and various weather conditions, all under the supervision of the Spanish certification authority known as INTA (National Institute for Aerospace Technology).