The center for transforming civilian models into tanker aircraft will open its doors at the end of 2027 in Seville, Andalusia. It will make it possible to go from five to seven annual conversions and carry out maintenance work, as reported in this article from the Spanish public media RTVE.
Publié
Reading time: 1min
/2026/05/21/6a0ed4c9264db808477893.jpg "Faced with strong global demand, Airbus expands its Seville factory to convert civil aircraft into military aircraft")
Airbus will open a conversion center for the A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) at its San Pablo factory in Seville by the end of 2027. The objective: to respond to the increase in demand for tanker aircraft, driven by increased global investment in defense. This new center, in addition to the one Airbus has at its Getafe facilities, near Madrid, will increase the annual number of conversions of civil aircraft into military versions from five to seven, the company said in a press release.
The new facility is also expected to be used for maintenance, repair and servicing (MRO) as well as upgrades of A330 MRTTs already in service.
“The choice of Seville is not a coincidence, it is a strategic decision. The Andalusian capital meets all the critical requirements for the military conversion of an aircraft as complex as the A330”president Francisco Javier Sánchez Segura, president of Airbus in Spain.
This project will be implemented within the existing infrastructure in order to maximize its operational capacity and “equip it with the necessary technology” for model conversion.
Airbus will invest to modernize industrial facilities in hangars, implement advanced processes and “an ambitious training program for highly qualified local talents”. According to its president, the choice of Seville is explained by the fact that it “combines advanced technical know-how with world-class infrastructure – thanks to the A400M and C295 final assembly lines – as well as essential logistical and operational proximity to Getafe”.
The Airbus factory in Getafe will play the role of “strategic coordinator” and will allow the two sites to work together to meet strong market demand, driven by increasing investments in defense around the world.
The A330 MRTT is a multi-role tanker aircraft capable of carrying out in-flight refueling, troop and cargo transport, and aeromedical evacuation missions. It has 91 orders from 19 countries and has a market share of 90% outside the United States.
Airbus employs more than 14,000 people in its Spanish factories, including 3,500 in the Andalusian sites of San Pablo and Tablada, in Seville, and in Cádiz.
An article written by Carmen Morales Puisegur (RTVE), initially published on Tuesday May 20, 2026 at 9:40 a.m. Translated and edited by franceinfo by Alice Kouri.
