In the early 1960s, the Agency introduced the Weapon Support Partnership framework, a multinational cooperation mechanism that continues to serve today as the backbone of our mission, enabling nations to collaborate and achieve commonality of equipment, interoperability and economies of scale.
At that time, the Agency focused on the support of three main weapon systems. Today, NSPA manages 31 Support Partnerships and supports more than 170 weapon systems. These range from the multinational acquisition of complex platforms, such as aircraft, helicopters and uncrewed systems, to the provision of supplies such as fuel, spare parts and ammunition, or services such as maintenance of radars for air defence, or deployable infrastructure, transportation, medical and catering services.
The Agency currently manages a number of key NATO and multinational projects through their lifecycle. The Multinational MRTT Fleet is a case in point. The multinational platform provides strategic transport, air-to-air refuelling and MEDEVAC capabilities to six Allies. NSPA also manages the acquisition of other multinational complex systems, from initial concept to capability delivery, product support, lifecycle logistics, and disposal. One of them, the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC), represents NATO's largest and most complex capability development initiative to date. The Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC), the programme that will define the future of medium multi-role helicopter fleets across collaborating Nations, is another key initiative for which NSPA manages the Concept Stage.