Germany, Norway join tanker fleet programme
Germany and Norway have formally joined the European/NATO programme to acquire A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft along with Netherlands and Luxembourg, Occar announced on 29 June.
The two nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding at NATO headquarters in Brussels, declaring their intention to participate in the programme.
The programme, known as the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF), was initiated by the European Defence Agency (EDA) in 2012. Occar is managing the acquisition phase on behalf of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). Following the acquisition phase, NSPA will be responsible for the complete life-cycle management of the fleet.
All four nations will fund the MMF programme and have an exclusive right to use these NATO–owned aircraft. The A330 MRTT aircraft will be configured for inflight refuelling, the transport of passengers and cargo and medical evacuation flights.
The first two aircraft have already been ordered from Airbus Defence and Space for delivery in 2020. An order for five additional aircraft is set to follow shortly. The order will include options for up to four further aircraft.
Arturo Alfonso-Meiriño, director, Occar, said: ‘The MMF programme has broken new ground in bringing together the combined capabilities of the EDA, NSPA and OCCAR as one team, with each organisation working within its particular sphere of expertise. I very much welcome that this important initiative has now attracted additional partners to join and it still includes options for the participation of even more countries.’
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