Seven NATO Countries Launch Initiative for Airbus A400M Multinational Fleet

Seven NATO countries launched an initiative to create a shared fleet of the Airbus (AIR.PA, AIR.F) A400M military aircraft. The French planemaker said Tuesday that the governments of Belgium, Croatia, France, Poland, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom will work on joint ownership and operation of A400M aircraft, as well as joint training, maintenance work, and procurement services. Airbus said the High Visibility Project aims to meet national and NATO requirements and to improve flexibility for missions, such as air-to-air refueling, disaster relief, medical evacuation, and firefighting.