Defence`s Feeds

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The multinational fleet of Airbus A330 tanker and transport aircraft, which was developed with support from the European Defence Agency (EDA), has been cleared for operations worldwide. First proposed at a NATO summit in 2012, the initiative for a Multinational Multi Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF) was established by EDA along with the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.

Now with six participating countries, the fleet performs air-to-air refueling of fighter jets, can carry out medical evacuations and also transport cargo and passengers. MMF reached Initial Operational Capability on March 23 in a ceremony attended by EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, as well as the ministers and senior officials of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Norway, Germany, Czechia and the European Commission.

Preparing for take-off: EDA’s role

EDA’s role in getting the project off the ground was crucial, by bringing together contributing Member States, motivating countries to join and negotiating the aircraft acquisition options.

To initiate MMF, EDA set up a project team to work on the harmonisation of requirements towards a future tanker capability. It helped craft the legal framework to establish the programme and smooth the way for the organisational and industrial partners that were to join. 

The Netherlands, where the NATO-owned aircraft are registered, serves as the fleet’s base. Aircraft are also stationed in Cologne, Germany. The Netherlands and Luxembourg launched the programme in July 2016. Germany and Norway joined in 2017. Belgium followed in early 2018 and Czechia joined the MMF programme in October 2019.

Seven aircraft from the fleet are in service. Two more are expected to join in 2024, with the tenth aircraft scheduled for delivery at the end of 2026. 

Flying high

At present, the fleet has already provided six million liters – or about twice the volume of an olympic-size swimming pool - of fuel to NATO allies. MMF aircraft were the first tankers to deploy over Poland in support of NATO air policing following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In total, the fleet has flown more than 500 missions, as well as supported the evacuation of civilians from Afghanistan and deployed for exercises with NATO partners such as Australia. Later this year, MMF aircraft will fly to the Middle East to support operations against ISIS.

EDA’s wider role 

EDA supports all EU Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative capability projects, the Agency has become the hub for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks spanning the whole spectrum of defence capabilities.

Member States use EDA as an intergovernmental expert platform where their  collaborative projects are supported, facilitated, and implemented. For more details, please see here 

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Bruxelles, den 23. marts 2023. I dag bliver Danmark den 27. medlemsstat i Det Europæiske Forsvarsagentur (EDA). Agenturets leder, Josep Borrell, modtog en officiel meddelelse fra fungerende forsvarsminister Troels Lund Poulsen om, at Danmark vil tilslutte sig EDA, der blev oprettet i 2004 for at støtte det europæiske forsvarssamarbejde. Beslutningen er resultatet af Danmarks historiske folkeafstemning om ophævelse af forsvarsforbeholdet i juni 2022 og følger efter afslutningen af behandlingen i Folketinget. Med Danmarks deltagelse er medlemmerne af EDA nu udvidet til at omfatte alle EU's medlemsstater.

Danmarks deltagelse i EDA er en kraftig styrkelse af det europæiske forsvarssamarbejde og giver Danmark mulighed for at deltage fuldt ud i alle agenturets projekter, aktiviteter og arbejdsgrupper.

"Vi bygger et stærkere, mere modstandsdygtigt europæisk forsvar. Danmarks medlemskab af Det Europæiske Forsvarsagentur er endnu et skridt på vejen mod et tættere forsvarssamarbejde. I juni sidste år sendte det danske folk et stærkt signal om deres engagement i europæisk sikkerhed og forsvar. Fordelene ved denne beslutning er klare. Som chef for agenturet byder jeg Danmark hjerteligt velkommen til EDA, især i en tid, hvor EU åbner nye veje for forsvarssamarbejde med fælles indkøb af ammunition, kapacitetsudvikling og innovation for fremtiden,” siger EU’s Udenrigsrepræsentant og Chef for Forsvarsagenturet Josep Borell.

”Den internationale orden er under opbrud, og demokratiske værdier er under pres. Ukraine har fortsat brug for massiv støtte fra allierede, herunder ammunition, for at kunne modstå de russiske aggressioner. En del af ammunitionen skal skaffes gennem koordination af indkøb og øget produktion i EU. Det er rigtig positivt, at vi kan være med i disse vigtige initiativer fra dansk side,” siger fungerende forsvarsminister Troels Lund Poulsen.

Jiří Šedivý , EDA's administrerende direktør, udtaler: "I dag bliver Det Europæiske Forsvarsagentur en helhed. Det glæder mig at byde Danmark velkommen som medlem af EDA efter folkeafstemningen og folketingsbeslutningen. På et tidspunkt, hvor krigen er vendt tilbage til Europa, er samarbejdet på forsvarsområdet vigtigere end nogensinde. Danmark kan nu drage fordel af EDA's ekspertise og deltage i projekter og programmer for at fremme sine ambitioner på forsvarsområdet."

VELKOMMEN TIL DET EUROPÆISKE FORSVARSAGENTUR

• Samarbejde à la carte – Danmark og alle de andre medlemsstater kan selv hver især beslutte, hvilke af EDA's igangværende 100 projekter og programmer, de ønsker at deltage i.
• Arbejde hos EDA – Danske statsborgere kan søge aktuelle eller fremtidige ledige stillinger hos EDA. Praktikantprogrammet for 2023 åbner for ansøgninger i april og vil også være åbent for nyuddannede med dansk statsborgerskab.
• Danmark i EDA – Det næste forsvarsministermøde i EDA's styringskomité vil finde sted i maj i Bruxelles, og for første gang deltager 27 forsvarsministre. Repræsentanter fra Forsvarsministeriet vil fra nu af deltage i alle EDA's møder og fora.
• Muligheder for industrien – Dansk industri vil have mulighed for at deltage i EDA's forskningsaktiviteter inden for forsvarsområdet, innovationsknudepunktet på forsvarsområdet (HEDI) og de generelle aktiviteter med inddragelse af industrien.

EDA'S ROLLE I BREDERE FORSTAND

EDA hjælper medlemsstaterne med at forbedre deres forsvarskapacitet gennem samarbejde. Forsvarsagenturet fungerer som katalysator og formidler for forsvarsministerier, der er villige til at deltage i samarbejdsbaserede kapacitetsprojekter. Agenturet er dermed blevet knudepunktet for det europæiske forsvarssamarbejde med ekspertise og netværk, der omfatter hele spektret af forsvarskapaciteter.

Medlemsstaterne anvender EDA som en mellemstatslig ekspertplatform, hvor deres samarbejdsprojekter understøttes, faciliteres og gennemføres. Få mere information her

Noter til redaktører

1. EDA-faktablad på dansk, engelsk og andre sprog.
2. Det Europæiske Forsvarsagentur (EDA), knudepunktet for det europæiske forsvarssamarbejde:
   1. EDA blev oprettet i 2004 for at støtte og fremme forsvarssamarbejdet i Europa og er blevet det sted, hvor lande, der ønsker at udvikle deres forsvarskapaciteter, kan gøre det i fællesskab.
   2. EDA's ekspertise og aktiviteter omfatter hele spektret af samarbejde: fra harmonisering af krav til levering af operationel kapacitet, fra forskning, teknologi og innovation til udvikling af teknologidemonstratorer, fra uddannelse og øvelser til støtte af FSFP-operationer.
   3. EDA arbejder også tæt sammen med den europæiske forsvarsindustri for at styrke det europæiske forsvars teknologiske og industrielle grundlag og bidrage til at gøre industrien stærkere og mere konkurrencedygtig.
   4. Agenturets rolle og betydning er vokset konstant, navnlig med gennemførelsen af EU's globale strategi (2016), som også førte til, at medlemsstaterne udvidede agenturets mandat i 2017.
3. Følg #EUdefence på de sociale medier, og besøg vores websted www.eda.europa.eu.

 

Today Denmark becomes the 27th member state of the European Defence Agency (EDA). Head of the Agency, Josep Borrell, received an official notification from acting Minister of Defence, Troels Lund Poulsen, that Denmark will join EDA, which was set up in 2004 to support European defence cooperation. Following the conclusion of a Danish parliamentary process, the decision is the result of Denmark’s historic national referendum to lift its opt-out on European defence in June 2022. Danish participation in EDA broadens membership of the Agency to all EU Member States.

Denmark joining EDA is a strong boost for European defence cooperation and allows full Danish participation in all Agency projects, activities and working groups.

Head of the Agency, HR/VP, Josep Borrell said: “We are building a stronger, more capable European defence. Today, Denmark’s membership of the European Defence Agency is another step on the path to closer defence collaboration. Last June, the Danish people sent a strong message of their commitment to European security and defence. The benefits of that decision are clear. As Head of the Agency, I warmly welcome Denmark to EDA, especially at a time when the EU is opening new avenues for defence cooperation, with the joint procurement of ammunition, capability development and innovation for the future.”

Denmark’s acting Minister of Defence, Troels Lund Poulsen, said: “Europe must take greater responsibility for our own security and Denmark must participate fully in the cooperation. We are now a step closer with our membership of the European Defence Agency. The Defence Agency plays a special role in supporting the member states' cooperation and we look forward to contributing to this. The international order is changing rapidly and democratic values are under pressure. Ukraine continues to need massive support from allies, including ammunition, to resist Russian aggression.”

EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý said: “Today, the European Defence Agency becomes whole. I am delighted to welcome Denmark as a Member State of EDA following its referendum and parliamentary decision. At a time when war has returned to Europe, defence cooperation matters more than ever. Denmark can now benefit from EDA’s expertise and join projects and programmes to further its defence ambitions.”

WELCOME TO THE EUROPEAN DEFENCE AGENCY

• Cooperation à la carte – Denmark, like each Member State, can decide which of EDA’s ongoing 100 projects and programmes they wish to participate in.
• Work at EDA – Danish nationals can now apply for open and future positions at EDA. The Traineeship 2023 programme which will open for applications in April will also be open to recent graduates of Danish nationality.
• Denmark at EDA – The next EDA Steering Board of Defence Ministers will take place in May in Brussels, which will take place for the first time with 27 Defence Ministers. Representatives from its Ministry of Defence will now participate in all EDA meetings and fora.
• Industry avenues – Danish industry will have the possibility to take part in EDA’s defence research activities, its Hub for Defence Innovation (HEDI) and its overall industry engagement related activities.

EDA’S WIDER ROLE

EDA supports all EU Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative capability projects, the Agency has become the hub for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks spanning the whole spectrum of defence capabilities.

Member States use EDA as an intergovernmental expert platform where their collaborative projects are supported, facilitated, and implemented. For more details, please see here

The Egyptian Navy has taken delivery of three Cyclone-class coastal patrol ships from the United States.

NATO declared initial operating capability (IOC) for its Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) Unit (MMU) on 23 March.