European Air Transport Fleet
EATF is a European framework for enhanced cooperation in military air transport.
In February 2008 the EDA Steering Board in Capabilities formation decided to establish a Project Team to study viable models for the development of a European Air Transport Fleet (EATF). In November 2008, Defence Ministers of twelve EU Member States (Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain) signed a EATF Declaration of Intent (DoI) to express their determination and commitment to address the critical European airlift shortfalls.
A400M. Credit: Airbus Military The main objectives of EATF are: to improve the airlift provision within the European Union; to develop concrete solutions for better use of existing and future airlift assets made available by the pMS for military needs to meet operational requirements; to develop means for optimisation of interested existing and future air transport organisations and structures; and, finally, to be able to transport any personnel/equipment by any asset with a minimum of constraints.
EATF will consist of a framework federating different projects identified, different structures and different types of assets, in order to create synergies through far-reaching cooperation and coordination. It will be a flexible and inclusive partnership between national and multinational military air transport fleets and organisations in Europe, aimed at the enhancement of standardised air transport services through cost-effective pooling, sharing, exchange and/or acquisition of various capabilities, including aircraft, training programmes, cross-servicing activities, cargo handling, maintenance activities, spare parts, etc.
The long term vision of the EATF is to establish a robust network linking various European air transport entities aiming at the efficient employment of all present and future air transport capabilities made available by the pMS for military needs, regardless of type or origin.
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