TSAMTO, August 2. The NATO Support and Acquisition Agency (NSPA) announced the delivery of the sixth and seventh A-330 MRTT multi-purpose tanker transports to the Alliance by Airbus Defense and Space.
The planes arrived on July 27 and 29 at the air base in Eindhoven (Netherlands).
Ownership of the aircraft was transferred from Airbus Defense and Space to the Organization for Cooperation in the Field of Arms Procurement (OCCAR – Organization conjointe de cooperation en matiere d'armement), acting on behalf of the NATO Support and Acquisition Agency (NSPA).
The transfer of the seventh aircraft is the last stage of delivery implemented under the management of OCCAR, since the term of the cooperation agreement between OCCAR and NSPA ends on December 31, 2022.
It is expected that two more aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2024. The multinational MRTT fleet will soon reach initial readiness for combat use, which will provide the six participating countries with a resource for transporting troops and cargo, air refueling and medical evacuation.
As TSAMTO reported, the MRTT aircraft procurement project was initiated by the European Defense Agency (EDA) in 2012 due to the lack of modern tanker aircraft in service with the Air Forces of European states.
In July 2016, the Dutch Ministry of Defense officially notified the country's parliament of the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Luxembourg providing for the joint purchase of A-330 MRTT as part of the program for the formation of a multinational fleet of EU/NATO MMF (Multinational MRTT Fleet) tanker transports. An agreement was signed with Airbus Defense and Space for the supply of the first two aircraft, which included options for the supply of additional A-330 MRTT after other countries joined the project. Germany and Norway joined the program in 2017, Belgium in 2018, and the Czech Republic in 2019. The MMU unit is staffed by military personnel from these six countries. In September 2020, OCCAR, on behalf of NSPA, signed a contract with Airbus for the supply of the 9th A-330 MRTT.
The Organization for Cooperation in the Field of Arms Procurement (OCCAR), acting on behalf of the NATO Support and Acquisition Agency (NSPA), manages the phase of aircraft acquisition and maintenance until the end of 2022. Next, the NSPA will assume responsibility for the operation of the fleet.
The first, second and third A-330 MRTT aircraft were delivered to the customer in June, August and November 2020. The fourth was delivered in April 2021, the fifth – in August 2021. Delivery of the remaining A-330 MRTT will be completed in 2024. NSPA expects other countries to join the program.
The aircraft purchased under the MMF program are configured for passenger and cargo transportation, in-flight refueling of existing and prospective fighters (F-35, Rafale and Typhoon). One A-330 MRTT is made in a version for medical evacuation.
The airbase in Eindhoven has been chosen as the main one, where the A-330 MRTT fleet will be located. In addition, they will be used from the air base in Cologne (Germany). Of the nine MMF aircraft, five will be based in Eindhoven and four in Cologne (one in the medical evacuation version).
