As the French Air and Space Force begins the process of retiring its 14 C-135FR/KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft, which it has operated for nearly sixty years, it faces a strategic dilemma regarding the number of Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) aircraft that will replace them “Phénix” fleet. Originally planned as a 12-aircraft procurement, the MRTT order was deemed insufficient—and subsequently revised—because these aircraft will also assume strategic airlift (ATS) missions.
Target Increase: Are 15 MRTTs Enough?
Under the 2019–2025 Military Programming Act (LPM), the target of 12 aircraft was revised upward, and as part of a plan to support the aviation sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, three additional A330 MRTTs (two of which were secondhand) were procured, bringing the total fleet size to 15. Although this number has been confirmed by the 2024–2030 LPM, General Jérôme Bellanger, Commander of the French Air and Space Forces, has expressed concerns about the fleet’s adequacy.
Deterrence and Increasing Operational Load
In an interview with Air Fan magazine, General Bellanger stated that current geopolitical conditions reaffirm the vital importance of air superiority and the necessity of expanding the combat fleet. The commander’s main emphasis, however, was on the A330 MRTTs’ primary mission: “contributing to the permanent operation of the air-based nuclear deterrent component.”
Bellanger emphasized that the importance of the deterrence mission has increased at a time when nuclear rhetoric is hardening in the international arena, and that now is not the time to weaken this stance. He noted that the multi-purpose nature of the MRTTs increases the operational burden by layering the demands of both nuclear and conventional missions.
The Search for Additional Capacity
In recent years, A330 MRTTs have been extensively used in conventional missions, such as civilian evacuations or PEGASE deployments. General Bellanger noted that even during these missions, the aircraft remain under the command of the Strategic Air Force and can return to their nuclear deterrence role at any moment if necessary.
In this context, it appears that the French Air and Space Force is open to procuring additional A330 MRTTs beyond its current fleet of 15 aircraft, provided budget resources allow. The force has already acquired two additional A400M “Atlas” transport aircraft beyond what was planned under the 2024–2030 Long-Term Program (LPM), a development that demonstrates the ongoing search for flexibility in critical capabilities. The future size of the MRTT fleet will be a critical indicator of the extent to which it can meet France’s growing requirements for nuclear deterrence and strategic airlift missions.
