ORAC
18th Nov 2009, 07:20
EU Ministers Pursue 'European Air Transport Fleet' (http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4380582&c=AIR&s=TOP)
Brussels - Fourteen of the EU's 27 defense ministers have signed a letter of intent to establish a European Air Transport Fleet based on the A400M military transport plane and other aircraft such as the C130. The central idea is to make existing aircraft available to those countries that do not own them themselves.
Various options are being considered, including allowing countries to exchange or buy flight hours from each other. Officials hope to achieve initial operating capability by 2014, said European Defence Agency (EDA's) Chief Executive Alexander Weis at a press conference Nov. 17.
Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden have all signed the letter while two other unnamed countries are set to sign in the coming weeks........
Brussels - Fourteen of the EU's 27 defense ministers have signed a letter of intent to establish a European Air Transport Fleet based on the A400M military transport plane and other aircraft such as the C130. The central idea is to make existing aircraft available to those countries that do not own them themselves.
Various options are being considered, including allowing countries to exchange or buy flight hours from each other. Officials hope to achieve initial operating capability by 2014, said European Defence Agency (EDA's) Chief Executive Alexander Weis at a press conference Nov. 17.
Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden have all signed the letter while two other unnamed countries are set to sign in the coming weeks........