The Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF), an emergentshared capability for Norway

The MMF, managed by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), with the strong support of the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), under the ownership of NATO and operated by an international unit, represents a key capability for NATO and the European Air Forces and demonstrates an increasing confidence of European and NATO nations in cooperative solutions.

Based on a pooling and sharing concept, the six nations share costs benefits and risks and will soon have access to a total of eight Airbus A330 MultiRole Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, which can provide strategic transport (pax and cargo), airtoair refuelling and medical evacuation capabilities.

Current status and future

Despite the current health pandemic, the project continues steadily. Deliveries will follow the initial schedule with only a limited delay. The first two of eight A330 MRTT, MMF1 and MMF2, are ready for acceptance and will be handed over to the Main Operating Base in Eindhoven during June and July. The third and fourth aircraft are currently under conversion at the Airbus Defence facilities in Getafe (Madrid) and the fifth one, currently a “green aircraft”, was flown from Toulouse to Getafe in midMay.

With the first two aircraft delivered during the summer, the main focus in 2020 is to complete the training of the crews to make the unit operational. During their first missions, the aircraft will mainly fly for training and will then gradually deploy on operational tasks by the end of 2020, supporting national missions as well as NATO, EU and other multinational commitments.

The delivery of the third aircraft is planned for October 2020 and the fourth one will be delivered early next year. From that point on, a new A330 MRTT will be added to the fleet regularly, with the expected delivery of the last aircraft in 2024.

A successful collaborative programme

“The success of the MMF relies on the excellent cooperation between NATO and the European Union Nations and agencies since the very beginning of the project in 2011,” said Jan der Kinderen.

Back in 2011, the European Defence Agency (EDA) started an initiative with the aim to optimise existing and planned assets, addressing the long­standing European shortfall in the airtoair refuelling capacity. Since then, this initiative has grown into a mature programme managed by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), on behalf of the nations, supported by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) on the acquisition phase. Through its MMF System Management Office, NSPA acquires, manages and supports the MRTT aircraft fleet and related assets throughout its projected life of 3035 year.

While this is a prime example of NATO/EU interAgencies cooperation, “this programme stands also as an example on how nations can cooperate, pooling and sharing resources to get access to stateof theart capabilities that would be difficult or impossible to access individually”, stated der Kinderen. The six nations, independently of their size and the number of flying hours, have access to this multirole tanker aircraft that can be configured for a variety of missions.

Airtoair tankers are vital in supporting NATO and EU operations that require longrange air missions. The A330 MRTT allows aircraft to be refuelled midflight, extending mission time significantly. It is equipped with a probeanddrogue system and a boom. This enables the refuelling of all aircraft types in the MMF nations’ inventory and most of the other aircraft used within NATO. The aircraft can also provide simultaneous strategic airlift, carrying up to 267 passengers of up to 45 tons of cargo simultaneously. The MMF platform can be also configured for medical evacuation with 16 stretchers, 21 medical seats and six personnel.
In July 2016, the Netherlands and Luxembourg formally launched the project and proceeded with the acquisition of a pooled fleet of Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (A330 MRTT) aircraft. The contract caters for each aircraft to provide 1,100 flying hours per year. In September 2017, the contract was amended to include two additional nations as participants in the MMF project: Germany and Norway. With the four participating nations, the scope of the project was increased from the two A330 MRTT aircraft to seven aircraft in total. In January 2018, Belgium formally joined the project, growing the fleet to eight aircraft. In 2019, the Czech Republic joined the programme as well, becoming the sixth partici­pating nation.

Pooling and sharing concept

The MMF programme is based on a pooling and sharing concept, agreed in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in which the participating nations pool the aircraft and share costs, benefits and risks.

The MMF developed a transparent and fair cost share arrangement by calculating a cost through a flying hour share set in the MoU. This enables smaller nations to join with a limited amount of flying hours and still getting assured access to an entire fleet of aircraft. In addition, bigger nations benefit of economies of scale offered by this multinational cost share arrangement.

Germany is the largest contributor with a share of 5,500 hours a year. The Netherlands will take up 2,000 hours a year. Belgium will take 1,000 hours, Luxembourg 200 hours and Norway and Czech Republic will take 100 hours a year each. As the projected utilisation will be 1100 flying hours per aircraft per year, the fleet of eight aircraft is fully committed.
“The MMF is still open to new partners and it is expected to grow in the near future, there are still three options for additional aircraft in place which could potentially increase the fleet 11 aircraft in total” assured Der Kinderen.

The Norwegian share

Norway has been involved in the programme since the very beginning in 2012. The country, together with other nine EDA nations, signed a letter of intent for the joint procurement of a new multirole tanker aircraft, starting the leading process towards the MMF.

Norway decided to join the fleet in September 2017, contributing to the programme with 100 hours. With the Norwegian F35 jets fleet currently operational and already involved in NATO’s Air Policing mission in Iceland, the MMF capability becomes key for Norway, allowing a better interoperability and a greater international engagement for the country.
In line with the flying hours contribution, Norway participates in the programme with four military personnel in the Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Unit (MMU), which will operate the aircraft.

The Unit, based in two permanent operating bases in Eindhoven (the Netherlands) and Cologne (Germany) is comprised by military personnel of the participating nations. One of them is Captain Andreas Lygre, from the Norwegian Air Force. Currently based in Eindhoven, he joined the MMU as Operations Supervisor. “I will support and follow up all missions from just before departure to the destination arrival, helping the pilots and the crew with whatever they need during the mission.” Captain Lygre explained. “I am looking forward to start the operations in support of countries, organisations and people that need it. Not only within my own nation, but also across the continent and even worldwide. In my opinion, the concept of different nations coming together and supporting each other provide very interesting opportunities to all participating nations.”, he said.

This positive approach is also shared by Christian Holte Wiig, MMF Norwegian representative (until May 2020), who refers to the MMF as a “truly success story in the international defence cooperation”. “The way NSPA and OCCAR have managed this program on behalf of the nations has resulted in a defence acquisition program that is under budget, on time, and delivering the required performance”, he confirmed.