European cooperation in maintaining defence equipment in operational condition: an analytical framework derived from economic geography

Based on economic geography concepts, this article proposes an original analytical framework to understand co-operation between countries in the Maintenance in Operational Condition (MOC) of defence equipment in Europe. European countries are facing problems of MOC cost growth under strong budgetary and usage constraints. A possible solution is to share costs to benefit from economies of scale. However, as the number of participating countries increases, the “distances” (geographical, normative, political) multiply and generate new costs. These costs are likely to weigh on the choices made by countries and therefore constitute a brake on pooling and sharing initiatives. This article proposes to understand the mutualisation of MOC in Europe through a set of centripetal forces (all the advantages offered by mutualisation) and centrifugal forces (all the costs generated by mutualisation). Such a reading grid makes it possible to consider the multidimensional trade-offs underlying the organisation of MOC in Europe.