AAR3 (air-to-air refuelling)

AAR3 is the NATO abbreviation for air-to-air refuelling. NATO's glossary of acronyms and abbreviations gives the French equivalent as ravitaillement en vol and cites NATO terminology document ATP-44 for the entry. The "3" distinguishes this abbreviation from other NATO uses of "AAR".

Air-to-air refuelling is the capability that allows an aircraft to be refuelled while it is flying. NATO states that the capability significantly extends mission time. In Canadian defence material the same capability is written as air-to-air refuelling or AAR, and it is the primary role of the new tanker fleet the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is acquiring.

What the NATO glossary says about AAR3

The NATO glossary (AAP-15) lists AAR3 as "air-to-air refuelling" and pairs it with the French term ravitaillement en vol. The entry points to ATP-44, which places the term within NATO air-operations doctrine and capability planning. The full glossary is available from the NATO archives.

NATO's current public material uses the shorter form AAR. It appears in discussions of tanker aircraft, interoperability and air mobility, so a bid team will meet "AAR" far more often than "AAR3" in recent documents. Both refer to the same capability.

How air-to-air refuelling extends air operations

NATO's fact sheet on its Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft states that these aircraft provide air-to-air refuelling and that the capability can refuel aircraft in flight and significantly extend mission time. The fact sheet is published on nato.int.

The capability matters across several kinds of operations: fighter operations, strategic air mobility, airborne early warning and control, and extended-range or sustained air operations. NATO's airborne early warning organization has also worked with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency on multirole transport tanker aircraft, as described in a NATO AWACS press release.

Canada's Strategic Tanker Transport Capability project

The main Canadian federal user of air-to-air refuelling is the Department of National Defence (DND), including the RCAF. The Strategic Tanker Transport Capability project is intended to replace the RCAF's CC-150 Polaris fleet. Public Services and Procurement Canada awarded Airbus Defence and Space S.A. a contract valued at approximately $3.6 billion, excluding taxes, for nine aircraft, as announced in the Government of Canada news release.

The primary role of the new fleet is air-to-air refuelling, combined with strategic airlift of Canadian Armed Forces personnel and equipment. Canada's additional AAR initiative forms part of NORAD modernization and requires the fleet to support a NORAD readiness posture. The aircraft must be able to refuel current and future RCAF aircraft, including the F-35, as well as fighter aircraft operated by the United States under NORAD and by NATO partners.

Air-to-air refuelling in the Defence Capabilities Blueprint

Canada's Defence Capabilities Blueprint lists "Air-to-air refuelling systems" as a Defence Capability Investment Area. It identifies three projects in that area, including the Airlift Capability Project – Multi-role Flight Service, which is sponsored by the RCAF. The listing is on the Defence Capabilities Blueprint.

What AAR3 means for suppliers bidding on Canadian contracts

For suppliers, air-to-air refuelling requirements arise mainly in military aircraft acquisition, tanker transport, air mobility, interoperability and in-service support procurements. The Canadian project material describes the requirement as a capability, so bid teams should read each solicitation for the stated aircraft capability, interoperability and mission requirements and address those directly. Tender notices are published on CanadaBuys.