Colonel Reinhard Krell is the Director of the Movement Coordination Centre Europe and was invited to brief the ALCDF participants on what the MCCE is and how it might be useful.
The MCCE provides cost saving alternatives for member nations by utilizing air, land and sea transport assets owned or leased by national militaries of members or supported agencies. Currently, there are 25 member nations (23 European, Canada and the U.S.) who pay an annual fee that allows them use of these assets. The MCCE does not own the assets; instead they serve as a coordinator of assets not in routine use.
Initially conceived as a maritime asset coordination effort, a similar one for airlift was developed; then seven years ago the MCCE was formally stood up to include both maritime and airlift. The MCCE is located on the Eindhoven Military Air Base in The Netherlands, alongside the European Air Transport Command (EATC).
“Our currency is measured in flying hours. An example would be if Germany uses an asset owned by Sweden, then Germany is minus three air hours and Sweden is plus three, then that can change as each country uses assets, so there is no money flow here. No one needs to be concerned with getting reimbursements in this system – that is where the cost saving comes in. We have about 30 people from 17 nations at MCCE; I’m German, my deputy is from Norway and our Chief of Staff is Turkish. Now that is partnering,” said Krell.
“My purpose for being here at the ALCDS is to show the African partners what is possible – maybe MCCE can serve as a model for them. It would only take about four or five nations to come together and form their own organization like we have done,” said Krell.
More info:
http://www.africom.mil/newsroom/article/12107/senior-leaders-gather-to-address-logistics-challenges
http://www.africom.mil/newsroom/article/12101/ethiopia-hosts-africom-funded-africa-logistics-capacity-development-seminar