Italy signed officially a contract for six Airbus A330 MRTT tankers, valued at about 1.39 billion euros, on 16 April 2026. The deal, published in the EU’s TED portal, replaces the previously slated Boeing KC‑46 Pegasus program, which Italy abandoned in 2024 after a troubled tender. The new aircraft will include long‑term logistic support.

The procurement concludes a two‑year saga that began in 2022 when Rome selected the KC‑46 to replace its aging KC‑767A fleet. Cancellation in 2024 reopened the tender, but no bidder met the technical criteria until Airbus remained sole proposer in December 2025. The April 2026 signing finalised the European pivot.

Both tankers satisfy NATO interoperability, yet the Airbus choice re‑anchors Italy’s logistical chain to European partners, shifting maintenance, training and spare‑parts sourcing away from US‑centric networks. The A330 MRTT doubles as a strategic air‑lift platform, capable of moving troops, equipment and humanitarian aid, broadening the Air Force’s operational palette.

Italy joins 18 other nations as the 19th operator of the A330 MRTT, reinforcing the aircraft’s status as NATO’s de‑facto standard. The six new tankers will extend the range of F‑35 and Eurofighter sorties over the Mediterranean, delivering a tangible boost to Italy’s power‑projection without further US dependency.