On 1 April 2021, the fourth Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft of the Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) arrived at its Main Operating Base in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. This is the fourth addition to a future fleet of nine. The first, second and third aircraft were delivered in June, August and November 2020. The day before, ownership of the aircraft was transferred (through OCCAR) from Airbus Defence and Space to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), who manages the fleet on behalf of the MMF nations.
The Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Unit (MMU) is now operating MMF1 and MMF2 for training purposes and will gradually deploy on operational tasks in the next months. In the meantime, the conversion of MMF3 into aeromedical evacuation (MEDEVAC) configuration has been completed in Cologne, Germany. The aircraft now includes a MEDEVAC kit that consists of 16 medicalized stretchers and up to six intensive care units (ICUs). Efforts are now directed into training and certification to ensure a MEDEVAC capability is available to the MMF nations by early summer.
At the same time, the fifth, sixth and seventh MMF aircraft are currently in different stages of their MRTT conversion at Airbus facilities in Getafe, Madrid and will be delivered to the MMU in the fourth quarter of the year of 2021 and along 2022. The full fleet will consist of nine Multi-role tanker transport aircraft able to provide strategic transport, air-to-air refuelling and medical evacuation capabilities to its six participating nations (Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Norway).
The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft are owned by NATO and managed by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) with the support of the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) on the acquisition phase until the end of 2022. The Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Unit operates the fleet. NSPA will then be responsible for Life-Cycle Management of the fleet. The delivery of the first MMF aircraft in June 2020 marked a key milestone of the MMF ADS acquisition contract managed by OCCAR. The aircraft was delivered to the customer on time without any shortfalls in performance or over cost.