On Tuesday (31), NATO received the fifth Airbus A330 MRTT from the Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF). The new aircraft, registration T-058, landed at Eindhoven Air Base, Netherlands, home to the other planes in the fleet.
The T-058 was delivered to NATO at the Airbus facility in Getafe, Spain, where A330s are converted into in-flight refueling and transport aircraft. The MMF was launched in 2012, as a partnership between Belgium, the Czech Republic, , Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands, which aims to provide these nations with a strategic capability for in-flight refueling, long-range transport and aeromedical evacuation.
A total of nine A330 MRTTs have been acquired by the MMF Programme, with an option for an additional three aircraft. According to the NATO Acquisition and Agency (NTSP), the sixth and seventh aircraft are in different stages of conversion in Getafe, with delivery scheduled for February and July 2022. Deliveries began in June 2020 and should end in 2024 .
A warm welcome to our 5th #A330 MRTT with the tail number T-058✈️
Piloted by our experienced #MMU crew the aircraft landed at our Main Operating Base @VlbEindhoven
A big thank you to @NSPA_NATO, #OCCAR & @AirbusDefence for their cooperation to achieve this milestone @BeAirForce pic.twitter.com/eyJF7HwkJWADVERTISING — Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Unit (@A330_MMU) August 31, 2021
The Multinational MRTT Unit (MMU) now operates the aircraft mainly for training purposes and has gradually started to carry out operational tasks. In July, the crew flew an airlift mission for the first time in of the Czech Republic, and in May, it flew the first operational flight for the Luxembourg Army, flying a national contingent on a mission in Mali. In recent weeks, the MMU has also been involved in the evacuation of military personnel and civilians from Afghanistan, the agency noted.
