04. December 2014

French - UK joint Initial Support Contract for the A400M Programme

On the 4 December 2014, OCCAR signed on behalf of France and the UK a joint initial support contract for their A400M fleets with Airbus Defence and Space.

The scope of the contract includes Main Operating Base (MOB) aircraft maintenance activities for each Nation and common technical support services as well as common component repair services on a spares availability and pooling basis. The contract covers a period until October 2016.

A400M of the Royal Air Force

The signature of this joint initial support contract for the two A400M fleets is a major achievement following several years preparation by OCCAR-EA, France and UK. It is an important milestone increasing mutual cooperation, which includes the benefits of spares pooling by the Participating States. In fact, this cooperative contract could become a model for the implementation of a Global Support Strategy for all six A400M Nations.

Currently, the six Participating States have given OCCAR-EA their agreement to prepare the potential implementation of a multinational Global Support Strategy, including finding the most efficient solutions for aircraft and engine support throughout the life of the fleet.

A400M of the Armée de l'air

Copyright JL. Brunet, Armée de l'air