A total of eight European Nato-member countries have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that seeks to reshape the logistical processes for ammunitions.
The participating nations are Belgium, Estonia, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia and Spain.
Under the new Multinational Ammunition Warehousing Initiative (MAWI), the eight nations will work to devise a single set of principles to modernise the storage, provision and management of ammunition stockpiles in various multinational warehouse locations.
The initiative focuses on flexibility and adaptability and will enable the creation of temporary storage facilities in support of Nato deployments. These steps are expected to reduce deployment costs.
The first MAWI location is expected to become operational before the end of this year with several others to follow.
Nato deputy secretary-general Mircea Geoană said: “The set-up of the MAWI multinational High Visibility Project is simple, yet highly effective.
“Following the example of the private sector, it allows participants to rationalise their warehousing footprint and drive a greater degree of efficiency into their logistical system.
“This will free up resources to be re-allocated for higher priority purposes such as advancing Nato’s ambitious innovation agenda.”
Nato is an intergovernmental political and military alliance of 28 European and two North American countries.
In April this year, Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group (MADG) secured a contract to modernise the Nato Deployable Air Command and Control Component’s (DACCC) communications systems.
The upgrade will transform the way critical mission data from ally nations is transmitted, relayed, and received by Nato’s transportable shelters.
