2026-07-07

Europe strengthens cooperation in the skies: Belgium and partners launch new A400M initiative

During the NATO Summit Defence Forum in Ankara, Belgium, Croatia, France, Poland, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom took an important step towards a new joint airlift capability with the Airbus A400M.

This cooperation is inspired by the successful Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) programme, where nations pool their resources to gain shared access to advanced military capabilities.

The goal? To create a future multinational A400M fleet that provides European allies with greater flexibility and operational strength. The cooperation could include not only jointly operated aircraft, but also shared support services such as maintenance, training, infrastructure and logistics.

The Airbus A400M already plays a vital role in European air mobility. With more than 135 aircraft in operation and over 270,000 flight hours completed worldwide, the aircraft has proven to be a reliable asset for strategic air transport.

Alongside the new A400M initiative, it was also announced that Finland is joining the Multinational MRTT Fleet. This brings the MMF programme to nine participating nations: the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Czechia, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

This cooperation demonstrates how European nations can become stronger through collaboration, innovation and resource sharing. By investing together in modern capabilities, countries increase their operational flexibility and contribute to a stronger and more secure NATO.

Info and Image: Airbus

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Source: Aviation Day