NATO is set to decide the final shape of a multinational lease-to-buy deal for up to 10 air-to-air refuelling (AAR) aircraft at the next ministerial meetings in late June.
Six of the eight NATO members signed up to the AAR initiative are expected to reveal their funding commitments within the next few weeks. Italy and Turkey, the other two, plan to support the initiative using their existing tanker fleets. Another original signatory, Belgium, has dropped out, but is being lobbied to rejoin.
The Spanish-led initiative also includes Denmark, Hungary, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland and Portugal. "The initiative was, and still is, open to other countries," says Maj Pedro Sipols, director of the NATO AAR initiative. The alliance's leadership has "responded positively to Spain's request for more countries to join," he adds, "but none have come forward."
A request for proposals has been drafted and a formal solicitation can be launched immediately after a go-ahead decision at the next NATO ministerial meeting, says Sipols. The programme needs NATO members to approve a memorandum of understanding or, at the minimum, express continuing support for the initiative.
"If there's enough indication member nations are willing to proceed, we can release the request for proposals [RFP]," said Sipols at last week's Aerial Refuelling Systems Advisory Group 2004 conference in Jacksonville, Florida.
NATO has a requirement to operate a dedicated fleet of 10-15 tankers, but industry observers expect funding for five or fewer. They would be owned by a multinational consortium, rather than NATO. The alliance would be the primary user, but the aircraft could also be operated by nations that signed the AAR initiative.
NATO plans to send the RFP to Boeing, EADS and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI). Boeing is to offer a KC-767 based on the configuration selected by the Italian air force, rather than the more advanced US Air Force variant that is still in limbo. EADS must decide between the Airbus A310 or A330-200 Multi-Role Tanker Transports, respectively under contract for Canada and Germany and selected by Australia and the UK. IAI is expected to enter the bidding by offering used Boeing 767-200s.
STEPHEN TRIMBLE / JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
Source: Flight International
