NATO’s Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) took delivery of its fifth A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft on August 31, 2021.
Launched in 2012 by the European Defense Agency, the MMF program aims to create a multinational tanker fleet on behalf of six European countries, namely Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, and the Netherlands, with the latter as the lead nation for the project. The MMF aims to provide strategic transport, air-to-air refueling, and medical evacuation capabilities to its participants.
The fleet is located in Eindhoven Air Base, in the Netherlands, which also houses all the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s transport aircraft. Nine A330 MRTTs were ordered from Airbus with options for three additional aircraft. Deliveries started in June 2020 and should end by 2024.
“The Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Unit is now mainly operating the aircraft for training purposes and has started to gradually perform operational tasks,” NATO Support and Procurement Agency said.
The A330 MRTT is a multirole aircraft, both a tanker and a carrier (freight and passengers) based on the A330. In addition to those involved in the MMF program, seven countries are currently operating the A330 MRTT.