Chris Pocock has been covering the defense beat for AIN for over 30&nbsp;years. He is a British citizen and a graduate of the University of Cambridge. Chris worked in the air cargo business for ten years before becoming a full-time writer in 1983. He subsequently edited two air cargo journals before becoming AIN’s Defense Editor. He retired from that position in 2018, but still contributes to the publication. Chris has written extensively on aerial reconnaissance, including four books on the history of the U-2 spyplane. He also lectures on this and other topics related to intelligence-gathering in the Cold War.

Defense Correspondent

Chris Pocock

The slow process of getting European nations to commit to a joint fleet of A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transports continues. Airbus Defence and Space said that Germany and Norway have joined Luxembourg and the Netherlands in the scheme, by signing an MoU at NATO headquarters in Brusssels on June 29. It is now five years since the European Defence Agency (EDA) initiated the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF) project.

 


The first two aircraft have already been ordered for delivery from Airbus Defence and Space’s tanker conversion line at Getafe near Madrid in 2020. Five additional A330s will now be ordered, and that order will include options for up to four more. The aircraft will be configured for in-flight refueling (from centerline boom and underwing pods); the transport of passengers and cargo; and medical evacuation flights.

 


Europe’s cooperative defense procurement agency (French acronym OCCAR) will manage the MMF acquisition phase. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) will be responsible for the complete life-cycle management of the fleet.

 


OCCAR director&nbsp;Arturo Alfonso-Meiriño said: “The MMF program has broken new ground in bringing together the combined capabilities of the EDA, NSPA and OCCAR as one team, with each organization working within its particular sphere of expertise. This important initiative…still includes options for the participation of even more countries.” Last year, Airbus said that Belgium and Poland were also expected to join the MMF scheme. Earlier, Hungary, Portugal and Spain were also said to be candidates.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Two More Nations Join Euro-Tanker Fleet

Seven Airbus A330MRTTs are now slated for the pooling project, but still only four countries have committed. 

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News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

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