Improving Partner Interoperability for U.S. Air Forces in Europe

Aircraft Maintenance and Cross-Servicing

Patrick Mills, John G. Drew

ResearchPublished Sep 10, 2025

The authors of this report review North Atlantic Treaty Organization and U.S. guidance for improving interoperability between U.S. Air Forces in Europe and its European partners. They interview key stakeholders and subject-matter experts and find progress for both the F-35 and F-16, but technical and institutional obstacles in pursuing cross-servicing and the use of partner equipment remain. They recommend clarifying the operational benefits of interoperability.

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Mills, Patrick and John G. Drew, Improving Partner Interoperability for U.S. Air Forces in Europe: Aircraft Maintenance and Cross-Servicing. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2025. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3161-2.html.
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This research was sponsored by United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa, Directorate of Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection (USAFEAFAFRICA/ A4) and conducted within the Resource Management Program of RAND Project AIR FORCE.

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