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Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very happy to welcome you all to this conference on Air-to-Air Refuelling, which isfor the first time jointly organised by NATO and the EDA. It is a project dear to my heartand to that of my friend and colleague at EDA, Jorge Domecq. I am pleased that excellentcooperation between EDA and NATO, with the support of NATO Allies and EUMS, hasallowed us to deliver this event.
I would like to start by thanking the Director General of EUROCONTROL, Mr EamonnBrennan, for hosting the conference in the EUROCONTROL premises and the assistanceof his staff with the organisation of this event.
Both NATO and the European Union work closely with EUROCONTROL on themanagement of airspace within Europe, which for NATO is essential for the ability totrain and operate.
This close civil-military coordination and liaison is essential for the delivery of Rapid AirMobility (RAM) for which Air-to-Air Refuelling is a key enabler.
We are currently going through the final stages of the implementation of the RAMcapability in European airspace, which will reach Full Operational Capability from1 January 2020.
None of this would have been be possible without the close cooperation of our friendsand colleagues in EUROCONTROL and a mutual understanding of the needs andrequirements of both the military and civil aviation communities.
I would also like to thank Lieutenant General John Sams, the Chair of the Aerial RefuellingSystems Advisory Group who is our moderator for today and who so skilfully steered theprogramme of last year's conference with his words of wisdom and gentle reminders tostay on time.
We look forward to Gen Sams' interjections and thoughts from the global perspective aswe progress through the today.
…and so to the Conference itself.
It was unfortunate that Defence Minister Ank Bijleveld was unable to join us in persontoday, but none-the-less I would like to thank her and the Netherlands for theirleadership in moving forward the Air-to-Air Refuelling capability in Europe through theMulti-National MRTT Fleet (MMF) project and in promoting all projects related tomilitary mobility.
The engagement, along with that of other Allies and EU Member States, is testimony tothe importance that this capability has for both NATO and the EU.
It is clear that both NATO and the EU exist in the same security environment where weshare the same values and interests, but we also face the same challenges.
As we are celebrating the 70th anniversary of NATO's foundation, our mission to ensurepeace on the European continent is as significant today as it was in 1949, and thecooperation between NATO and the EU remains all the more necessary.
Since the signature of the NATO-EU Joint Declaration in Warsaw in 2016, NATO-EUcooperation has come a long way. In NATO, as the Secretary General regularly highlights,we are firm believers in a stronger European Defence.
This brings more investment in Defence, more European capabilities, a fairer sharing ofthe transatlantic burden, and as a result, a stronger NATO.
There is no doubt that in the area of Air-to-Air Refuelling NATO-EU cooperation is a clearsuccess story and an excellent example and flagship of NATO-EU cooperationHowever, this does not mean that this is an easy process. Air-to-Air Refuelling has beena topic of common interest for NATO and the EU from well before the signature of theWarsaw Declaration, and the subsequent agreement of 74 common proposals forcooperation.
Air-to-Air Refuelling shows that when NATO and EU follow a pragmatic approach we candeliver. When we want to work together, we can.
This conference is a clear example of pragmatism by both organisations for a commonbenefit.
Delivery of the aircraft for the Multi-National MRTT Fleet (MMF) is due to commence inMay 2020, which is just 8 years from the start of project.
We should therefore pause to consider and acknowledge that this is a remarkableachievement.
Jorge Domecq joined me at the Conference of National Armaments Directors in NATOHQ last week where during the session with Partners we discussed Multi-Nationalprojects and areas for collaboration.
The Multi-National MRTT Fleet (MMF) was highlighted several times as a success storyand an example of multi-national cooperation, both from the perspective of theparticipating nations, but also the organisations that helped enable and manage theproject.
The cooperation between OCCAR and NSPA has been instrumental in the procurementof the fleet, which will continue to be managed through life by NSPA. I also highlight thekey role of European Air Transport Command and I look forward to their continued closeengagement.
However, despite this success both NATO and the EDA have identified that there remainsapproximately a 30% shortfall in capacity – Jorge will, I am sure, also re-iterate this point.So how do we address this Shortfall?
I am sure buying more aircraft would keep industry very happy but we first have toensure we are making best use of what we already have:
For example:
- Would increasing the numbers of crews per aircraft improve the utility of existing platforms – that is a challenge in itself given the pull for aircrew from civil airlines.
- Could we make better use of existing platforms such as the A400M?
- Either through nations buying more equipment or a multi-national project to Pool & Share.
- Increasing the number of Wing Pod kits would allow more of the total fleet to be available to address the AAR shortfall.
- Taking a different stance, do we need to re-consider the use of commercial providers for non-operational missions such as training and deployments?
- The US Navy has used commercial AAR services for 15 years and is in the process of reviewing its requirements;
- US Transcom is now also seeking commercial AAR services.
One of the key issues that has been the focus of the tri-organisation Global AAR StrategyTeam for the past 4 years has been AAR Clearances.
The issue is that although tankers and receivers are certified for AAR operations they arenot certified as a pairing. This is particularly important in coalition operations where tanker of one nation needs to be able to refuel receivers from other nations in the samemission.
The Lessons Identified from Operation Unified Protector identified this aspect, whichwhen coupled with the lack of capacity amongst European Allies, had a significant impacton the operational effectiveness of combat air.
This led directly to what became known as the EDA AAR Initiative. One of the results ofwhich is the Multi-National MRTT Fleet (MMF).
A key recommendation from the recent workshop in Poggio Renatico in September,which involved SMEs from National Military Airworthiness authorities, is that the pairingof an AAR tanker and an AAR receiver is an airworthiness issue.
On the basis of this recommendation we will be seeking the agreement of the Directorsof national military airworthiness authorities at the Aviation Committee Plenary in NATOHQ in November that the Technical aspects of an AAR Clearance for a pairing is anairworthiness issue.
The Chairman of the NATO AAR WG will brief this in more detail later this morning, andthen just before lunch there will be a brief from AIRCOM on the importance of gettingthis right, and the impact on operational effectiveness if we don't.
May I wish you all a successful and productive Conference on this important capability,which is a key enabler and force multiplier.