The NATO’ Armament and Aerospace Capabilities Directorate (A&ACAP), supporting the NATO Aviation Committee (NATO AVC), and EUROCAE formalized their commitment to closer collaboration by signing a Technical Cooperation Arrangement (TCA).

This landmark agreement is set to strengthen the synergy and cooperation between civil and military aviation stakeholders, fostering a closer relationship that benefits both sectors.

The collaboration was catalyzed by EUROCAE’s participation in the “NATO Use of Civil Standards Workshop” in February 2020, which highlighted the critical need for enhanced coordination between civil and military aviation stakeholders.

The TCA outlines several forms of cooperation between EUROCAE and NATO, including but not limited to:

•    Exchange of information and documentation
•    Sharing of expertise and best practices
•    Joint development and sharing of work programmes
•    Cross participation of experts in working groups

Topics for cooperation will be identified and agreed upon annually, ensuring that the collaboration remains dynamic and mutually beneficial.

These cooperative arrangements will enable greater efficiency and innovation within the aviation sector by leveraging the unique strengths and perspectives of both civil and military aviation experts.

Anna von Groote, EUROCAE Director General, remarked, “The strengthening of EUROCAE’s relationship with the NATO military aviation community represents a very positive step towards enhancing the dual use of aviation technologies. Many topics of Programmes of Work are common, and technical experts often contribute to both communities”.

Dr. Giorgio Cioni, Director of the NATO Armaments and Aerospace Capabilities Directorate, added, “Aviation is a domain where standardization and interoperability are critical, and finding synergies between all stakeholders is vital for continued safety and security. NATO’s priorities in this domain focus extensively on standardization, with a heavy focus on civil/military interoperability. This Technical Cooperation Agreement between EUROCAE and NATO will help with the NATO Aviation Committee and its subordinate groups, working with EUROCAE experts, develop standards that meet civilian and military requirements, enhancing interoperability among all aviation