“The A400M military transport aircraft unit is the flagship project of Belgian-Luxembourg cooperation. The thorough integration of the members of our two armed forces within a single operational unit is exemplary,” declared Luxembourg defence minister (DP) on Tuesday. The minister was in Belgium to meet her counterpart Ludivine Dedonder.
The two ministers officially took delivery of the latest A400M aircraft for the joint Belgian-Luxembourg military unit, which is part of the Belgian Defence 15th Airlift Wing. Now complete, it comprises “seven Belgian A400M aircraft and one Luxembourg aircraft. Its base of operations is at Melsbroek military airport. The aircraft and personnel of the unit are deployed without distinction of nationality to carry out the various missions”, stated a Luxembourg government press release.
The defence ministers of Belgium and Luxembourg, Ludivine Dedonder (on left) and Yuriko Backes (on right), signed the Ermesinde technical arrangement, 20 February 2024. Photo: Défense belge/SIP
The two ministers also signed the Ermesinde technical arrangement, which concerns “governance relating to the establishment and joint operation of the bi-national reconnaissance battalion”. That formally established the steering committee responsible for the practical and operational implementation of the bi-national battalion.
“These technical arrangements are concrete illustrations of our firm commitment to strengthening European defence. I am convinced that, in the future, the Belgian-Luxembourg reconnaissance battalion will enjoy cooperation similar to that which we are seeing today in Melsbroek, and for which we have taken another important step today,” stated Dedonder.
Originally published in French by and translated for Delano